


Cappy and Bottle Say Hi

by Biggreenfeet



Category: Fallout - Fandom, Fallout 4
Genre: F/M, Nuka World, Raiders, Slow Burn, Smut-ish, Spoilers, The Disciples - Freeform, The Operators, The Pack, gonna be really long, probable smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-08
Updated: 2018-08-29
Packaged: 2018-09-22 19:57:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 39
Words: 71,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9623168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Biggreenfeet/pseuds/Biggreenfeet
Summary: Maxine Xavier is tired of saving the Commonwealth. When a strange broadcast beckons from the past, she can't resist. What will she find at the end of the monorail? A whole new life is waiting in Nuka World- if she can stay alive long enough to claim it.Story runs parallel to Nuka World DLC. Eventual slow burn between Maxx (female sole survivor) and Mason.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Story contains major Nuka World spoilers. Feel free to hit me up on tumblr: biggreenfeet.tumblr.com And if you love the Nuka World DLC as much as I do, you can check out @theraiderradiostation on tumblr for some awesome screencaps. 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading!

It started with a strange broadcast.

 

 

> **“ _What if there was a place with all the zip of Nuka Cola?_ _Wouldn’t that be the cheer-cheer-cherriest place in the whole world?”_**

 

The decision to go alone was automatic. Maxx needed the time to think. The familiar cola jingle had sent a wave of nostalgia through her. It was enough to overrule good common sense.

Checking at the coordinates in the pip boy, it seemed the trip from the Red Rocket to the transit station would take about three days. Whether or not she’d actually make it all the way to the park proper would depend on what she found at the depot.

“ _Only take what you absolutely need_.” Her long-dead father’s words were still crisp in her mind.

Her pack was covered in dirt, grime, and dust. Flecks of dried blood looked like paint overspray, and she could almost make herself believe it was. She sighed with a quiet harrumph, wrenching the bag open.

_Why am I even doing this? What would even be left out there?_

She knew the truth of it. It was time for a break. Time to let her mind unravel itself. Time to stop taking care of everyone else. Keeping her cards close had always been easy. No one would realize she was _leaving-_ leaving.

The pack bulged with the bare essentials. It was still early morning when she slid the worn leather jacket on, tugging forcefully at the zipper. The trunk at the foot of her bed groaned open, and she stared at the armor for a long while in the quiet darkness.

She’d kept it sparse, opting for lighter, more flexible pieces. It might have been sacrilegious, but it was the reason she’d kept Kellogg’s armor. There was something unsettling about the similarities between them. Sometimes Maxine wondered if she was becoming the same kind of monster… 

She clicked chest clasps for the pauldron into place. The belt buckles jingled as she tightened the harness on her leg. Time in the wasteland had made her anticipate the weight of the revolver at her hip. The utility pockets strapped to her belt had to be checked before fastening the wide leather strip around her waist. In the event that she’d have to leave the pack behind, the small amount of gear tucked inside the pouches was her insurance. With one fluid motion she swept the olive hood from the bottom of the trunk. Tugging it over her head, she swept the stray hairs behind her ears.

The guns came last. There was something comforting about the heft of the revolver. A sense of safety in the rifle on her back. Maxx preferred putting distance between herself and the target. Her hand to hand was limited to defense- she used her smaller size and agility to avoid the blows until she found an opening to run. It was a good plan until she couldn’t get away.

A gloved hand met with the deep grooves in her neck, hidden under the hood. Phantom pains made her face contort, and she shooed the memories away with the wave of a hand. Deathclaws were faster than they looked.

The sun was just beginning to rise over the rolling hills in the distance. It was time to go. The heavy soles of her boots were lead on her feet, but she pressed onward. The Red Rocket grew smaller and smaller in the distance until she could no longer make out the bright red of the letters.

 

 

 

> **“ _Where the river’s made of quantum, and the mountain tops are fizz. With fun and games and rides for all the moms and pops and kids._ ”**

 

Maxx had been right- the trip took exactly three uneventful days. The oversized soda-shaped structures loomed over the broken ground casting long shadows in the late afternoon light. She’d given the actual station a wide berth, sticking to the very outskirts of the grounds.

There was a knot in her gut as she watched the tiny figures marching around in their green armor.

_Gunners._

Maxx swore under her breath, keeping her body low. The rifle slid easily from her shoulder and she knelt down, steadying the length of the barrel on a fallen tree. The scope brought the tiny figures into focus, the barrel of the gun slowly sliding back and forth. She counted the visible targets, and assumed several more.

A beam of red sent the panic through her body and out her limbs.

_Oh good, they brought along an Assaultron._

By the look of things, the robot was geared up for a fight. This put her at a disadvantage-the automaton would have to be the first target. It would most likely take several shots to bring it down, giving the Gunners time to make their way to her. She pulled the barrel off of the dead log, taking a moment to formulate a plan.

The bolt clicked and she counted the bullets, her left hand deftly navigating the pouch at her waist. The bullets were heavy in her hand as she slid them into the chamber, silently counting. Carefully, she propped the rifle up and slid the pack from her shoulders. With a good shove, it disappeared under the tree trunk and out of sight.

_Can always come back for it later._

Her heartbeat quickened as she lifted the rifle back into position. A deep breath in, a deep breath out as she steadied the barrel against the timber.

 _Take the shot._

Her hands wavered, the rest of her body tensing up. Panic was rising from her guts into her throat. It was beginning to drown her.

_Take the shot._

_Take. The. Shot._

_Take the shot!_

Cold sweat beaded her forehead. Blood pounded in her ears, the dull roar filling her head. A frenetic energy buzzed through her. Fight or flight. The gun shook in her hands, vibrating against the aged wood.

_Breathe. You’ve got to breathe._

With a furrowed brow and a clenched jaw she shoved the scope to her eye. The barrel tracked its target. A quick intake of breath and a gentle squeeze of the trigger…

All at once the natural sounds flooded her ears as tensed muscles went slack. The bullet had connected solidly. Blue violet sparks sprang from the assaultron’s neck leaving streaks against the growing dim. 

She pulled and flipped the bolt, slamming the solid wood back into her shoulder. She squinted through the scope, ignoring the shouts and sounds of gunfire in the distance. The rifle was gliding, tracking the movement of the damaged robot.

_One more…_

Eye and trigger moved in unison as she squeezed, watching the bullet ricochet off of the chest armor. The assaultron’s fists were spinning, the red light growing brighter in the distance.

_Shit!_

The bolt clicked faster, the gun wavering with frantic energy. 

_C’mon god damnit…_

Her tongue between her teeth, Maxx squeezed the trigger a third time. The next shot found its target, the ghost of the red explosion hovering in her vision. She blinked hard and swung the barrel around to acquire the next target.

_Seven shots, Xavier. Make ‘em count._

Fighting from a distance meant more decisions had to be made faster. Where would the next attack come from? Had her location been revealed? What was the biggest threat on the field? Run or stay 

The seven shots went quickly. Several found their intended targets. The rest, like so many other things, had been lost to the Waste.

Two Gunners remained. The speed of her oncoming attackers left no time to reload. Instead, Maxx let the rifle strap slide from her shoulder and made a dash across the grass. Her back slammed into the rough bark and she grimaced, one hand on the revolver, the other clutching a grenade at her belt.

 _How close?_  

Slowly she peered around the right side of the tree. A bullet zinged past, splintering the wood just below her chin.

_Real goddamned close!_

There were two of them picking their way through the tall grass and debris. They were closing in, both outweighing her by a significant margin. She could hear them grunting and swearing. Maxx knelt, peering around the opposite side. They were less than twenty feet from her.

_No grenades then._

Her face twisted in annoyance. After dropping her left hand from the grenade, she used it to push herself up. Maxx tore the revolver from the holster with her right hand, sighting and shooting in an instant.

The head of the closest gunner exploded into a wet red mess. The look of horror on his partner’s face burned itself into her eyes as the .44 caliber bullet tore through his chest. He was like a ragdoll flung by an insolent child. A cloud of dust mushroomed around the gunner’s limp form, illuminated by the last rays of sunlight.

Maxx stood over the body, mesmerized by the tiny tributaries of blood as they streamed out from the star shaped hole and down his side.

The fluttering wings and angry crow call shook her from her stasis. She snapped back to reality, eyes scanning the darkness for movement. A chill wind blew across the landscape sending goosebumps down her arms. There were no unnatural sounds in the distance. No movement. Everything had gone quiet.

 

***

 

She slung the pack and rifle onto her back, stepping lightly and staying low before crossing the threshold of the ancient parking lot. There were no signs of life as she crept around the oversized pop bottles. Nuka Cola’s signature white script coated nearly everything in and around the station. Billboards, busses, signage- even the trash cans were overflowing with Nuka-branded garbage.

“Perfectly preserved.” She chuckled to herself reaching for the doors to the tram station. She swung the door open silently, hand on the butt of her revolver. Her grip tightened at the sight of a man, his clothes filthy and tattered.

“Jesus. Shit. They’re gonna die. Those bastards have my family. You… you gotta help me. Please.”

 

 

> **“ _Well it turns out there’s a place with all the zip of Nuka Cola_. _Come on down to Nuka World and see if for yourself!_ ”**

 

Maxx was doing it for the caps. That’s what she’d told the man with the sob story as he lay bleeding out in the tram station. But it was more than that. A morbid curiosity had taken up refuge in her brain, and the vault dweller couldn’t let it go.

He’d given her the password to turn the power back on. She’d given him a quick last glance, swinging herself into the otherwise empty car. There was a feeling of dread sinking through her innards, but her curiosity had gotten the better of her.

_“You’re here for a reason. You’ve got to be.”_

There had been such faith in his voice. Maxine couldn’t pretend that Harvey- that was his name- hadn’t reminded her that she too used to have hope 

“Please stand clear of the doors. Por favor mantengase alejado de las puertas.”

The sudden sound from the loudspeaker made her jump. With a hiss, the monorail doors closed, and the tram slid out of the station and into the night.

The ride was surprisingly smooth. Grass dotted the deadened landscape. Rocky hills rose on either side of the park property giving way to mostly flat and grassy terrain. She could see the track winding its way out ahead. To the left: ruined highway overpasses and empty land. To the right: The colorfully engineered architecture of Nuka World.

The prerecorded voice over the loudspeaker was spouting safety warnings. Maxx laughed aloud. The overly cheerful announcer continued, naming landmarks, sharing useless trivia, and talking up park amenities.

A tree in the distance glowed orange with cages and candles, and the feeling of dread poured back into her chest. She pictured Harvey’s broken face and breathed sigh of annoyance- more at herself than him.

Just as the chipper voice had begun to address the fabulous amenities of Nuka Town, U.S.A. it was cut off by angry static. A gruff, masculine voice had replaced the announcer’s saccharine lilt.

“So, Harvey bagged another sucker to help his “family.” Can’t believe that gag still works.”

An audible growl escaped her, fists balling in rage. The leather gloves groaned in protest.

“I only got a minute so you better listen and listen good. The name’s Gage. Porter Gage. And the truth is, you’ve been set up. This ain’t no rescue mission, it’s a death trap.”

Her sunburned cheeks turned deeper crimson as she ground her teeth.

“But if you somehow make it through, I have an interesting offer for you. In the meantime, have fun and put on a good show. I’ll be watching.”

_“I won’t give up on them… It’s gotta be a sign, right? So please, I’m begging you. They’re running out of time.”_

Too bad Harvey was full of shit.


	2. Chapter 2

 

> **“ _The world of refreshment’s the most wonderful place_. _The friendly streets of Nuka Town put a smile on your face_ ”**

She regretted not wearing the Power Armor.

Everything was quiet in the former office. A warm glow filtered into the tiny space, the translucent glass scattering the light evenly. Slowly, an eyelid cracked and the former vault dweller blinked, switching between squeezing her eyelids shut, and opening them wide. She pulled herself into a seated position, clenching her jaw to keep from groaning 

Her gaze moved down her legs, resting on the torn patch of pant leg. The ant bite was angry and red. Thick yellow puss had dried and started to harden into an ugly scab. She filled her lungs with air, blowing out a heavy breath in the makeshift shelter. Her throat and lungs felt raw, scratchy, and sore.

_Asphyxiation by gas will do that to you, I suppose._

She unconsciously rubbed at her throat while suppressing the urge to cough. The bandages on her fingers scraped at the grimy skin on her neck, a dull throbbing sensation crawling up her arms.

It had taken her a full day to clear a path from the beginning of the Gauntlet to the access tunnels that ran under the park. Turrets. Grenades. Fire traps. Trick doors. The irritating voice taunting her through the loudspeakers. When she’d managed to get through the first of the traps with minimal injury, it had made her cocky.

The irradiated chamber was where she faltered. The Pip-Boy’s Geiger counter alerted her to the danger before she could see it, but without a radiation suit or power armor every second in that death trap counted. The Rad-X could slow it down, but not very effectively.

The lock on the exit door had tripped her up. Maxx was a talented lockpick- you had to be in the Commonwealth- but the acute radiation muddled her brain. Her hands fumbled with the bobby pins. Lack of motor control made the task incredibly difficult. She’d managed to break a pin inside the lock, cursing and cringing. It had taken precious minutes to fish it out. One bolt became two swimming across her vision as the bobby pin finally contorted itself inside the tumbler. She was all elbows collapsing out the door. A groan escaped as she rolled down the steep concrete slope outside. The rough surface scraped up her chin and jaw. 

Fatigue coursed through aching limbs. It had taken all of her remaining strength to drag herself to the access tunnel doors at the bottom of the hill. The jab of the Radaway needle became a distant memory. An entire day was lost to unconsciousness. The only positive was that the vic had been assumed dead and the asshole on the intercom had gone quiet.

Finally, Maxine roused. The pain of strained muscles forced her to set a slower pace. It paid off when she’d reached the shipping tunnels further underground. They appeared to have been used for transporting goods into, or rather, under the park. Old semis with trailers, work trucks, and even construction vehicles littered the space. It might have been a fascinating space to explore if not for the frag mines scattered every few paces. The mine tunnel took hours of tedious tiptoeing. There had been several close calls. The proximity alarms caused her anxiety to spike, but freezing up was out of the question. She was thankful to reach the end of the vehicle maze. The final hurdle was a steep drop-off framed with a rusty, broken gate. There was a rickety path of old, wooden boards lain across concrete pylons. Below them was a putrid lake. In the distance she could hear the distinct click-clacking of Mirelurks. Squinting through the low light she could make out the pockmarked curve of their eggs. 

_And the shitty wooden tightrope it is._

Fleet-footed, the vault dweller made her way carefully across the gulf. Exhausted and dehydrated, Maxx swung her body through the door at the end of the path. An old tractor-trailer became a makeshift tent for the night. The wastelander fell asleep to the sound of her stomach growling.

 

***

 

Joints popped and cracked as she pulled herself into a sitting position. Another day had passed between the truck tent and her current crash pad. She was still reeling from the horrors of the past 24 hours.

 _The worst part was the gas._  

She swallowed hard, trying to push the choking sensation out of her mind. 

 _Suffocation seems the surest way to induce a panic attack._ She smiled bitterly, rolling her head back and forth against the filing cabinet behind her. Hazel eyes drifted to the ugly wound on her leg.

Looking back, she had been so relieved to breathe again after being locked in the gas chamber that she’d missed the growing humming in the next room. She’d played right into the masochists’ hands and paid the price. The oversized insects had swarmed her, though the gunshots seemed to go unnoticed. Silence had fallen inside the outbuilding as she picked the lock on the abandoned office, stumbling inside.

With a small sigh, Maxx was back in the present and talking herself into standing. She pushed herself up, wincing at the pain in her leg. A hand disappeared into her pack digging out one of the last Stimpaks.

_Is it worth it? You gonna need that later?_

She snaked the hand back into the bag, dropping the syringe inside.

It took longer than she would have liked, but after a good hour she was geared up and ready to move. Fresh ammunition in the guns? Check. Grenades? Check. The pack shifted on her back. It was significantly lighter than it had been, and a small voice in the back of her head wondered if there were enough supplies to last the rest of the way.

The door squealed softly, her warm black hair peeking out of the entryway. There were no signs of life in the amusement ride graveyard and she inhaled deeply, thankful for the respite. 

She crept around the giant teacups and carousel cast-offs, stepping especially lightly around the oversized anthill. Still nothing. The path lead across the dirt floor to another open doorway. The wastelander crouched, squinting at the sunlight streaming through the wire fencing above. 

 _Where the fuck is this leading me?_  

“God damn, look who’s in the homestretch! Time for a little audience participation!”

The loudspeaker caught her off guard and she let out a strangled squeak, slapping a hand over her mouth.

_How the hell did he know? They know?_

Wide-eyed, Maxx scanned the skyline, trying to calculate where the end of the diabolical maze might be. Distracted, she didn’t notice the raider until they were on top of her, the misshapen silhouette blocking out the sun. She heard the cocking of the gun, and made the split-second decision to sprint forward. More of the giant teacups obstructed her path as she darted through, backpack bouncing furiously against the small of her back. She skidded to a halt inches from the grenade bouquets dangling from the wire ceiling. Bullets whizzed past her, kicking up dirt as they struck ground.

Her eyes darted frantically as she charted the path of least resistance through the explosive puzzle. The fencing above her vibrated and creaked with the weight of the raider pursuing her.

_Go now._

_Go now. Now! NOW!_

The Maxx threw herself forward, dancing around the shallow field of explosives and diving out of the tiny space. The heart-stopping click of a pulled pin echoed behind her. Tucking her legs to her chest, she came to a halt mere feet from the active turret. Reflexively the revolver was out. It took two rounds. Maxx could feel the heat of the explosion on her face as turret remains whizzed past her head. Several raiders converged on her location. 

The panic was starting. Cold drops of sweat rolled down her back and she could feel her body seizing up. The revolver shook. Her eyes grew wide watching the raiders move towards her in slow motion. Maxx froze. Bullets tore past her while her knees shook and her eyes welled. A small voice prodded her. 

_Don’t freeze. Move._

_Move, you idiot._

_Do you want to DIE? MOVE. YOUR. ASS._

Maxx blinked, hard. Her legs began to loosen up and it felt as though someone was tugging her forward. It was time to run. The raiders were nearly on top of her. She looked to the opening, leaning forward and taking a flying leap past the stack of old oil drums. Using the forward momentum, she hurled her body forward, eyes focused on the bright blue door at the end of the cage-maze. She slammed an armored shoulder full-force into the exit door. It gave way and she was tumbling forward into the darkness. 

Behind her the raiders swore, giving up on trying to catch her. A few fired potshots, but gave up as she disappeared into the building.

“Let Colter take care of the little bitch.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am aiming to post a chapter per week, but I can't guarantee that life won't get in the way. Thank you for all the Kudos and comments so far! It's really nice to get feedback. I appreciate you all :)


	3. Chapter 3

 

> **“ _Now you know there’s a place that’s just as great as Nuka Cola_. _Come on down to Nuka World and see it for yourself._ ”**

 

The bass of the raiders’ fists on the glass reverberated down the hallways. The roar of the crowd filled her ears. Her chest rose and fell rhythmically, eyes scanning the arena. Crowds of raiders were gathered around three of the four walls chanting and banging. Some kind of alarm screeched in the background, adding to the chaos. In the center of it all stood two raiders. 

“Well I’ll be damned! You know what that sound means. It means get your asses down to the Cola Cars ‘cause the main event’s about to begin!” It was the asshole announcer, Redeye.

She pushed herself forward, eyes flicking between the figures and the dimly lit corridor. Maxx set a cautious pace. Her curiosity got the better of her and she approached the glass to rest a palm on it. The place was an old bumper-car arena. The defunct cars surrounded oversized Pop-bottle sculptures. 

 _What the hell are they doing down there?_  

At the end of her path was a solid steel door. The intercom to the left of it crackled to life.

“You got me wired up yet Gage?” the man’s voice had an Australian lilt to it.

“Yeah, boss.” Maxx frowned at the familiar voice. _It’s that fucking raider from the monorail._ Her gaze returned to the two of them. An indignant anger was taking hold. 

“ _Finally.”_ The man giving the orders wasn’t a patient man. “Now go shut off that damn alarm.” He was firmly crammed into the modified power armor. It reminded her of Victorian diving equipment. A long wire pole extended from the back of the bulbous metal suit to the ceiling.

“Alright, I’m on it.” Gage was definitely a raider. Her eyes traced the twisted yellow steel wrapping itself around him.

The speaker crackled again with an annoyed sigh. “Now where…” The front of the tin can turned slowly her direction “Ah. There’s my next victim.” He chuckled. “Don’t look like much.”

Maxx frowned and hissed through her teeth at him.

He continued, the accent more pronounced. “Here’s a quick rundown of ‘ow this works. You go stock up, make y’self presentable, and then we’re gonna give these folks a show.” She could imagine his twisted smile curling under the helmet. He let the words hang in the air for a moment. “A show where I decorate these walls with your lovely brains. Thanks to this suit, I’m the only one who wins this fight. Period.”

The recognition dawned across her face.

_Jesus fucking Christ- they’re gonna electrify the suit._

A metallic hand pointed her direction. “You think you’re hot shit getting this far? Think again.” He made a fist, as if trying to squash any ambitions she might have for the ring.

“Alright Gage, let ‘im through.” The Overboss’ voice dropped to a dangerous husk. “Something tells me I’m really gonna enjoy this.”

 

 

> **“ _A vacation that refreshes, a trip you won’t forget_. _A park with all the minimum acceptable safety standards met_ ”**

 

A squirt gun in one hand. A revolver in the other.

Her reaction to Gage’s proposal had been frigid at best. She’d left him hanging in the locker room, as he continued to call out through the intercom speaker. She had finally let him continue after searching every possible corner for useful items.

“Yeah, yeah I know what it looks like,” his voice drawled. “You’re just going to have to trust me.” 

Her gaze at the intercom had been murderous.

Maxine now watched the glowing tendrils of energy ripple over the surface of the suit. Overboss Colter- that’s what Gage had called him- worked to ramp up the crowd.

There was no shaking in her hands this time. No raw fear. No deep anxiety tightening her throat. The fury raging through her innards had taken hold, and she was several hundred levels above pissed off. The aches and pains of the Gauntlet had been forcefully shoved to the back of her mind. Every nerve was firing in anticipation. Any signs of fatigue from the past several days had vanished. Maxx’s mind was hyper focused. Her eyes were sharp, memorizing the details of the arena.

_I’m going to kill him._

The roar of the crowd grew louder as their leader addressed the clans by name- Disciples. Operators. The Pack. 

_I’ll kill them all if that’s what it takes to get out of here._

The water pistol was heavier in her hand than she’d expected.

“And you.” It seemed the Overboss had finished his oratory. He turned his attention back to the holding room. “Are you ready to die? Let’s do this!”

The locking mechanism disengaged. All of the sounds were louder in the ring. Raider fists on the glass. Chants of “ _Die! Die! Die!”_ The booms of Colter’s power armor.

Maxx had no more time to observe. The electrified mail sparked its way towards the open door. Colter was coming for her.

There were two clear advantages: she was faster than the hulking butcher and a better shot. The lunchbox-sized device bounced against her hip as she darted across the arena.

_Gotta get somewhere he can’t see me._

Colter wheeled around. His helmet moved in exaggerated semicircles. The Overboss moved faster than she’d expected.

“Oi- I see you runnin’ away. Don’t worry mate. It’ll all be over soon.” He capped off his speech with a cackle.

_I’m not gonna make it there in time-_

He was closing the distance between them, barreling towards her at top speed. Maxx drew the water gun in an instant, standing her ground. Her face was screwed up in concentration as she rapidly pumped the plastic trigger. It took her several seconds to figure out the stream’s wonky trajectory. There wasn’t enough time to get completely out of harm’s way.

The stream had done its job: angry sparks leapt off the armor, blowing a wave of indigo streaks outward. Maxx could feel the hairs on her arms standing straight as the burst of energy blew her backwards.

The impact of her back against the concrete knocked the wind out of her. The water pistol flew from her grasp, spinning across the arena floor.

_Shit! Shit shit shit!_

She scrambled to her feet to watch the spinning toy. The blow came as she turned her head to check Colter’s position. A look of shock and pain registered, and Maxine was once again falling backwards. There was a dull throbbing around her mouth. Something wet was running down her chin and her mouth tasted like iron.

“You think a children’s toy is enough to stop me?” The metal man towered over her. His smirk was visible inside slim aperture in the helmet. He raised a foot and laughed menacingly. “Say g’night, wastelander.”

Maxx scowled up at him through bloodied teeth. A flurry of leather, she rolled out from under the robotic foot. It boomed inches from her face. Tiny blue violet sparks grew brighter, undulating over the frame once again.

She was on her feet. Her boots click-clacked across the pavement. Metallic footsteps thundered behind her. It was motivation enough to move quickly across the battlefield. Squinting, her eyes spotted the red plastic no more than five feet in front of her. Sure It had skidded to a halt under a cola car.

A mass of silver slammed into the ground directly in front of the buggy.

Her anger had reached a boiling point. A strange sensation moved through her body spreading the flames. It tingled through her limbs, like the electricity buzzing around the power armor. Maxx lifted her head high, smirking through her bleeding, busted lip. It was a look of a woman with nothing to lose. A dangerous woman. Colter was taken aback by her expression.

“The fuck are you doin’?”

No answer. Instead, she was diving through wide-set legs. She swept the pistol up. Using the momentum, Maxx rolled to her feet breaking into a full sprint. Fingers jabbed at the buttons on the Stealth Boy. The device hummed to life and suddenly she ceased to exist.

The crowd whooped and hollered. Some of the raiders were impressed at the vic’s resilience.

“We ain’t seen a vic go this many rounds in…” The spectator scratched at his filthy hair. He turned to the angry-looking woman next to him. “We ever seen a vic go this many rounds?” A swift elbow to the ribcage was his answer.

Colter bellowed with rage. “Where the fuck did you go? Oh, I’ll find you. And when I do- this game is over!” He was cussing and kicking at the cars. 

_That’s it, little man. Get angry. Get sloppy. Make it easy._

A dangerous smile formed across her face. It stretched her bottom lip open. A wave of fresh blood dribbled down her chin. She had expertly climbed the oversized Nuka bottle using an arm and her thighs to steady her wiry frame. A hazel eye sighted down the plastic barrel. She set the Overboss in her sights. With a little luck, she’d be able to hit him without giving up her position.

Colter was fuming. The helmet swung back and forth. He slowly stomped his way towards her hiding place and into the line of fire. Maxx pumped the trigger with fervor and steadied herself for the blowback. The water danced over the frame, finally making contact with the conducting rod. As expected, the energy exploded around him, the armor going dark again.

The announcer’s voice was mocking. “Can you say _technical difficulties_? Ha!”

The Overboss’ scream was pure rage. He was looking right at her-

_He can see me again? Oh shi-_

The thought was left hanging as he lunged. Metal hands grabbed for the neck of the bottle. Her right hand went automatically for the revolver. The sculpture gave way suddenly as the power armor slammed into it sideways. The impact sent her flailing forward. Her body twisted awkwardly. With a sickening crunch she was on the ground. Her strangled cry was involuntary. Maxx’s shoulder sloped at an unnatural angle.

Colter was smiling psychotically, hidden eyes ablaze.

“Like I said, mate- I’m the only one who wins this fight. Period.”

Through his arrogant rage, Overboss Colter has missed the revolver clenched in her right fist. It was the last mistake he’d ever make.

The explosion of the bullet was deafening. The crowd was suddenly silent and the suit seemed to hang in the air. The bullet had breached the small opening in the helmet. A wet gurgling sound escaped the eye slit. Maxx’s teeth chattered with the contact of steel on concrete. An ugly smile spread across her face as she imagined Colter’s expression in that split second.

Raiders crowded the windows.

“Oh my god- is he fuckin’ dead?”

“Holy shit the vic killed the boss!”

“Maybe he’s not dead- can’t see through the godamned armor!”

The announcer’s shock was genuine. “Holy shit! I don’t…I don’t even know what this means! Colter, man. He’s out!”

Maxine Xavier struggled to her feet. Her left arm dangled to one side. Blood caked her chin, leaving wet splotches of red down her front. Her chest heaved as she caught her breath. She hissed through her teeth in pain. Blurriness crept towards the center of her eyes and she blinked hard.

_I’ll- I’ll still kill… every last… one._

Something about this thought made her laugh. It started as a chuckle and gently shaking shoulders. The sound expanded in her chest until the champion was howling like a hatter in the center of the ring. Gun in hand, she ripped off her hood and stared wild-eyed into the crowds.

“Who’s next?! Huh?” She beat a fist into her chest and licked at her busted lip. The crowd was going in and out of focus. Maxx stumbled over the dead man’s armor and gave the helmet a good swift kick. The hollow ringing quieted the crowd.

“Gage, what the hell just happened?” Redeye was obviously still reeling.

Gage sucked in a breath. “You saw it. We all saw it.” The raider opened his arms wide, presenting the stage to the crowd. “Colter’s dead. We got ourselves a new Overboss.”

Maxx’s gaze followed the voice, stopping at the raider in the yellow armor. Pain edged its way into her body as the adrenaline wore off.

“This chick? Are you sure, Gage?” The man was tall with a painted up face and ginger red hair. His voice was gruff.

“You’d better know what the hell you’re doing.” The woman’s voice was cold. The upper portion of her face was hidden under a twisted metal mask. A hood draped over the top of her head, hiding her hair.

Gage frowned. “Hey! We talked about this.” He gesticulated as he addressed the raiders. “She survived the Gauntlet. She was smart enough to take my advice, and strong enough to kill Colter. She’s what we need.” A look of annoyance crossed his weathered features. “So how about we show some respect for our new leader, eh?”

The two defectors nodded slowly, meeting each other’s gaze. The crowd cheered. 

“All right, all right.” Gage made shooing motions. “Now get the hell outta here. I’ll show the boss around.” 

The raider herd began to file out. The two figures turned and followed the rest of the crowd out the doors. Maxx watched them with interest. Pain throbbed and shot up and down her arm, electrifying the nerves in her fingertips. 

Gage’s voice was gruff. “What’d I tell you? Worked like a charm.” 

Maxx glared through the thick glass at him. “Just get me some fucking drugs.” A tremor shook her right hand, but she refused to loosen her grip on the revolver. There had been too many tricks.

“Lemme just get the door for you.” His voice was softer as the mechanism clicked.

She watched him warily as she approached the entryway. He whistled low, studying her face. The odd slumping of her left shoulder made him wince.

He chuckled at her expression. “Well shit, boss. You may be little, but you’re damn tough.”

 

> **“ _Quench your thirst for adventure at Nuka World!_ ”**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy International Fanworks Day (2/15)! I hope you are enjoying the story so far. I am working to churn out more chapters, and look forward to sharing them with you. Comments are welcome and appreciated :)


	4. Chapter 4

There was a stark contrast between the old management and new. Mason still couldn’t figure how this tiny woman had been able to take down the boss all by herself. Colter had been an intimidating figure. Throwing his weight around was a literal talent of his. The man was almost as tall as Mason himself. Adding to that specially modified power armor? It was still a math problem the Pack Alpha wasn’t going to solve.

There had been whispers around the zoo- the _new_ boss was wandering the grounds and meeting with the gang leaders. He found himself wondering where the Pack fit into her plans, knee bouncing with a restless energy. The dogs at his feet panted in the sun. The day was uncomfortably hot and the faux-fur pants were making his legs itch. As much as he’d prefer to be out doing anything else he didn’t dare stray far from the zoo.

_Don’t need this new pain in my ass tryin’ to pull any shit without me here._

Mason cracked his knuckles unconsciously. He balled his fists. All of the small annoyances of the day were building in his mind. Gage’s plan had been foolish at best- take some random-ass wastelander and put them in charge just because they managed to strike Colter down? Had he _really_ agreed to that?

And had Gage _seen_ the state of her after that fight? Swaying on her feet, looking like a stray gust of wind might blow her over. Mason smirked and sank down into the chair. He folded his hands over his belly. 

_Let her try to put the squeeze on us- she’ll see what happens._

The smirk turned into a chuckle, and he was staring up at the few sparse clouds drifting by. The other gangs would be playing their own games to appeal to their new leader.

_Mags’ll probably promise caps and maybe one of them fancy suits. Nisha- who knows what the fuck that crazy bitch’ll do. Or if she really don’t like the boss, she’ll just play butcher with her…_

But what about the Pack? Every gang leader was walking that tightrope between bargaining and bullying. Besides painting up her face and dressing her like a circus animal, what could he offer?

A shadow fell over him. He focused on the woman in front of him. The Overboss cleared her throat, staring down at him. She’d caught him off guard and the Pack leader pulled himself up. His arms rested casually on his thighs.

“Now that I get a closer look at you,” He paused for emphasis, looking her up and down. 

Her lip looked like shit. Her entire chin turned ugly shades of purple and yellow. The line of stitches was uneven. It was definitely going to leave a scar. The doctor in the market must’ve patched her up after the fight. There were still traces of road rash on her chin and jaw.

Green eyes met hazel as they stared each other down for a moment. “Not sure I’m buyin’ this new Overboss thing.”

He found her unwavering stare oddly intimidating and pushed himself off of the gaudy armchair. Mason outweighed her by a significant margin, towering over her and yet… 

“You gonna be a problem I need to solve?” Maxx’s tone was austere.

He decided to bite. “Slow down there, boss lady. We’re just getting to know each other.” He straightened to his full height with a smirk. “Name’s Mason. The Pack’s Alpha.” He placed strong emphasis on the word _Alpha_ , an unspoken challenge. “This here’s _our_ side of town. You might be Overboss- _for now_. But I’m the boss of the pack and it’s going to stay that way.” A Cheshire smile stretched the width of his face. “Long as you don’t go forgetting that, we’re gonna be fine.”

The Boss seemed nonplussed as he studied her expression. “Your people aren’t going to cause me any problems, are they?” She raised a brow, arms crossed. A stray strand of dark hair fell over her eyes.

Puffing his chest out ever so slightly, Mason mirrored her expression. “The Pack does what I tell ‘em. You don’t get in my way, they won’t get in yours.”

She paused, gripping her chin thoughtfully. “The Pack huh? Fitting. You smell like a bunch of animals.”

“Hah.” The amused chuckle was genuine. Part of him was enjoying the dance. “Never heard that one before.”

_Don’t forget - we gotta stay in the little girl’s good graces now. Gotta take care of the Pack._

Mason dropped the sarcasm, gesturing as he spoke. “Look, it ain’t like anyone’s broke up about Colter. Just figured on his replacement being well, _different_.” He mentally scolded himself for the flub. “But Gage says you’re the Boss now, so… you’re the Boss.” He shrugged, keeping his expression casual.

“You don’t want to be Overboss?” He could swear she was taunting him. He decided to be honest.

“If I thought the other gangs would go along, yeah, I’d run this place in a heart beat.” Mason dialed it back a bit.

 _Honest but not_ that _honest._

“Might have to if you turn out to be a turd.” He grinned down at her, long arms crisscrossing his chest. “Besides, you can’t possibly be worse than Colter.”

The Overboss took a moment to reflect. “I have big plans for this place. You’ll see.” There was a coquettish slant to her response.

“Maybe you’re the real deal. But we thought Colter was the real deal too. And he’s laying in a pool of his own blood.” He bent down slightly, using his size to his advantage.

_Walk the line, don’t cross it._

“Don’t get me wrong- Colter was definitely Overboss. Not a man to mess with. And things were good in the beginning. Real good.” The Pack leader was sharing more than he’d planned to. “But that was a year ago. Then Colter went soft. Wanted to ‘Take stock in what we’d achieved’." 

“I think you’re a bunch of ungrateful children.” She looked bored by their conversation and scrutinized her nail beds.

“Careful there, boss. We ain’t _ungrateful_. Just fed up.” Mason could feel his hackles rising, and took a breath to slow things down. “Sure, this place beats living in the shitholes we had out there. But it ain’t the palace of caps we signed on for. Ain’t none of us happy. Not even the Disciples. And they’re normally a chipper bunch so long as they’re drenched in blood.” He chuckled, clearing his throat awkwardly when it was clear that she hadn’t gotten the joke. “Things were going to hell fast, but Gage put the breaks on that. Got us together and promised he’d find someone to deal with Colter.” The Pack leader spoke in earnest.

The woman’s interest was piqued. An amused curiosity danced through her eyes, a slight smile forming at the corners of her mouth. “So, what’s the real story between Gage and Colter?”

“Hey, I only know what I’ve heard.” He put his hands out and stepped backward. “Story is that Gage talked Colter into becoming Overboss. And he got you in here, didn’t he?” It was a thinly veiled barb. “Maybe he likes people owing him. Maybe it lets him get things done without gettin’ dirt on his hands.” She listened intently. “After Colter went soft, Gage got us behind closed doors, and promised us he’d get someone to off Colter. And you did just that. Might’ve been the point of the Gauntlet all along.”

“I trust we’re done with the history lesson?” It was so strange to him that someone a head shorter than him- someone who literally had crane her neck to look up at him- was being such a ball buster.

“Yeah, _boss_ \- just tryin’ to fill you in on why we’re all so pissed off.” The whole bitch on wheels thing was beginning to annoy him. He straightened up again and took an intimidating step forward. “Look, let’s cut to the chase. You gonna do right by the Pack?”

Instead of backing down or easing off, his posturing seemed to make her all the more authoritative. Her hazel eyes narrowed. “Be a good dog and do as you’re told, or you’ll be put down.” She wasn’t bluffing.

Mason’s eyes went wide for a second.

_Remember- we gotta play nice if we want a slice of the pie._

“Whoa there, boss. Not in front of my guys, alright?” his voice dropped an octave, hushed. “You got enough to worry about without a dominance struggle inside the Pack to deal with.” The crazy bitch was _smiling_ at him. There was a part of the pack master that was wholly impressed. Intrigued even.

“You know what? I think we’re not so different me and you.” He grinned down at her. “I want you to have this. Consider it a token of our mutual understanding. And respect.” Mason held up a finger and ducked his oversized frame behind the chair. He pulled out a rifle of some kind. “I call her the ‘Problem Solver’- she hasn’t let me down yet.” He shoved it towards her one-handed.

She took it in both hands without so much as a thank you and looked it over. Maxx checked the chamber, firing mechanism, and magazine. Her gaze returned to him as she slung the Technicolor weapon over her shoulder. A slight look of discomfort crossed her face. 

 _Shoulder’s still sore, huh? Good at bluffing though. Have to remember that._  

Mason cut her off before she had a chance to speak. “One last thing before I let you go.” He stared down at her, looking for a crack in the façade. “There’s always work to do around here keeping the Zoo in order. If you’re ever able to lend a hand, drop by.” The cockiness dropped from his tone. “Loyalty’s a two-way street.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” With that, the Overboss had spun on her heel. There were no backward glances as she marched her way out the door.

_God damn._

He didn’t like the way she’d gotten under his skin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and sticking with me! Feel free to leave comments and Kudos- I love getting feedback. :)


	5. Chapter 5

The whole Overboss thing was throwing Maxx for a loop. She’d had to lean heavily on attitude. She knew full well that she didn’t look very tough covered in scrapes, bruises, and a stitched up lip. Truth was, Colter had decimated her in the ring. He’d damn near killed her. It had been a long time since death had hovered so close.

She ran a hand through her hair and watched it fall right back into her face. Pain still dogged her, but the Stimpaks from the medic in the market had been helpful. She hated stimming the angry purple of her chin.

_Can’t be the boss if they don’t think you can handle yourself…_

The sun had just disappeared over the horizon. Night arrived on a cool breeze and she shivered despite the worn leather jacket around her shoulders. Sounds of raiders going about their business floated up through the window of Fizz Top. It was as palatial as one could get in the wasteland, and she was thankful for the space. 

What the Overboss didn’t like was the lack of privacy. She had decided to use Gage as a sort of bodyguard, making him sleep downstairs. There wasn’t a lot of trust there, but whatever he was looking to gain from their partnership couldn’t happen if she ended up dead. Up to this point she trusted him to give her basic information about the gangs, the parks, the history. He’d been rather obliging and she had decided to take his advice on a handful of issues. It seemed to make the raider happy. That was good enough for Maxx.

She lay back on the bed with her arms folded under her head. Broken snippets of conversation drifted through the window. Maxx found herself thinking about the gangs. First impressions always counted, and each group had made one for better or worse.

Maxine had made her first stop at the Disciples’…lair? Area? There wasn’t a great way to describe it other than truly disgusting. How the metal-faced women had gotten used to the smell in the humid hotbox was possibly the greatest mystery of all time. The scent of rotting flesh mingled with a heady iron smell. It was likely the blood dripping from every corner of the complex. She’d had to take shallow breaths to keep from gagging. The blood on the floor was in the process of clotting, giving it a sickening, gelatinous texture under her boots. All of the Disciple members seemed to be women. The only exception was their leader’s right hand. He refused to speak to Maxx and directed her to Nisha. Contempt dripped from his mouth.

The Disciples had shown the most disdain for the new Overboss and everyone else in the park. Their leader was darkly charismatic.

“The Disciples have only one rule: do what you want, but don’t get caught.” Her tone had been blunt.

Maxx could see why Nisha’s people followed her. There was no bullshit. Just the bare facts. 

“You see,” her tone had been contemplative. “The Disciples don’t make empty threats. We make good on them.” Maxx could feel the woman’s eyes boring into her from under the mask. “Fuck this up and I will _kill_ you.”

There were no empty threats. There were no double entendres. There were no regrets. That made the Disciples something to feared.

Maxine stood her ground. “I don’t make promises, and you’ll do what I say.” Her hand rested on the grip of the revolver. It had taken a lot of effort on her part not to heave a giant sigh of relief when Nisha conceded. 

“Looks like you’re already a step above Colter. We’ll see how this plays out…for now.” The cool rasp of her voice had stuck itself inside Maxx’s head. She’d never been more relieved to take her leave of someone in her life.

Her next stop had been the Operators’ side of town. The first thing anyone would have noticed about them were the dapper uniforms consisting of fancy suits and ammunition belts. Most of the gang members even wore dress shoes. The Overboss could not envision they’d be at all comfortable. Maxx couldn’t even begin to ask where they’d found all of their accouterments, but the gang leaders- Mags and William Black- had obviously grown up far removed from the raider world. They were more calculating. Less impulsive. Their education level was obvious in their diction- the Black siblings had been well brought up.

The Overboss had appreciated that they were up front about their goal: caps. Mags had made the argument that her gang was the most logical of the three. She’d made a few veiled threats- Maxx had expected as much- but had kept her brother in line. The overall impression they’d left was more favorable than not, but she’d have to keep an eye on the master manipulators. They were the types of people she’d hobnobbed with during her time as a lawyer, and she was well versed in double speak.

By the late afternoon, Maxx had finally made her way to the Zoo, which had been carved out if the old amphitheater. Her patience was wearing thin. The Overboss’ body was tired and sore, and her interactions with the other raiders had left a bad taste in her mouth.

The Pack members were the literal standouts of the three gangs. They wore the most garish clothing and apparently used the entire spectrum to paint their faces. Many wore ridiculous animal-themed masks. They’d even painted their weapons. Maxx found herself wondering if they had a concept of clowns after 200 years.

She had looked around, observing the gross number of cages filled with animals and slaves. It was probable that some of the more exotic species were descendants of the park’s original inhabitants. She also noticed a lot of dogs around- even the mutated ones had collars.

Their leader, Mason, was the most physically threatening of the bosses. He was built like a redwood with hair to match. His intimidation techniques (standing over her, crossing his arms, using a gruff tone) were obvious. Despite this, Maxx had maintained her composure. He’d also been the most honest of the three. The pack master barely hid his annoyance or contempt at some of her remarks.

The Pack Alpha, as he’d been sure to address himself, had been forthcoming with information. He’d also been the only one to make a peace offering.

Maxx’s gaze drifted to the vibrantly painted rifle leaning against her bedside. She’d be tearing it down to clean and modify the new weapon.

_Perhaps a new sniper rifle…_

What had the ginger giant said? 

“Loyalty is a two way street.” She said it out loud to no one in particular, picking at her fingernails.

Suddenly antsy, the vault dweller rolled to the side of the bed and pushed herself up. She peered out of the panoramic window and looked out over Nuka Town. The air had gotten chillier and the moon was out casting lengthy shadows across the plaza. She pulled the jacket closed with one hand, covering the tank top underneath. 

_Ah, what the hell? Might as well be out amongst the little people._

She took a few short steps back to the bedside table and tossed the harness around her waist, then one thigh. Bottle caps jingled in one of the pouches strung across her hip. The revolver spun around her finger and disappeared expertly into the darkness of the holster. Her boots lay in a crumpled heap halfway under the bed and she scooped them up, pulling them on one by one. 

The makeshift elevator just outside the patio descended swiftly and the clicking of her boot heels echoed down the pavement.

 

***

It was strange fighting the urge to scavenge. There were so many choice nooks and crannies around the amusement park, but now wasn’t the time. She wasn’t alone and wandering- she was the captain taking stock of her vessel and crew.

The main drag wound around the ring of doors and lead to a market at the center. All three gangs were represented in the giant circle. They stayed with their own kind. Different figures came and went. Maxx sat and watched for a long while letting her mind drift. The crisp air was refreshing on her face, and she focused on breathing and closed her eyes. Cold air in, warm air out. Cold air, warm air.

The gritty rumble made her jump. Maxx’s eyes snapped open, refocusing on his face.

“Boss?”

She shot him a look of annoyance. “Yeah Gage?”

He rubbed his neck and gave a throaty chuckle. “Just wondered where you’d wandered off to s’all.”

“How very kind of you to check in on me.” Her arms had gone from relaxed to crossed tightly over her chest. Her facial expression had changed in much the same way.

It wasn’t difficult to pick up on, and Gage breathed a small sigh. His voice was softer. “Look, I get that you have no idea what’s goin’ on and everything is comin’ at you real fast, but you need to listen.” He paused, trying to find the right words. “Taking out Colter wasn’t just a last minute decision… it was something a few of us here have been working on for a while.”

“You, Nisha, the Blacks, and Mason.”

Gage frowned, agitated with her attitude. “You know damn well that’s who. You’re the one who went touring today.”

“You told me it was something I needed to do for my position here, and I did it.” Maxx’s tone was cold.

“Yeah, and who made sure the doc patched your sorry ass up, huh? Who made sure there was a water pistol in that locker?”

She faltered and dropped her gaze to the brick walkway. He’d made a valid point. It was easier to think him untrustworthy. It was always easier to keep people at arm’s length. There was no rebuttal.

Gage backed off, rubbing his forehead and meeting her gaze. “All I’m asking is that you trust me on this and give it a shot. I swear it’ll be worth it.”

The Overboss studied his face and inhaled slowly. The man looked like he’d been through some shit. 

“Thanks to Colter this place is a powder keg just waitin’ to blow sky high. One wrong move and we’re going to have a bloodbath on our hands.” His expression brightened. “But I think you have what it takes to turn things around and keep these gangs from tearing each other apart.” 

Maxx relaxed some, letting her hands drift back into her pockets. She let his words hang in the air for a moment before turning back to him. 

“I was headed in to pick up some stuff.” She gestured to the market doors with an elbow. “Should probably spend some time with my mentor if we’re gonna keep these assholes in line.”

Gage laughed aloud, the yellow steel shaking with his shoulders. “Yeah Boss. Sounds like a plan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided to post another chapter because its President's day and I do not have to work! I hope you enjoy. Feel free to leave comments and Kudos. Always a day-brightener :)


	6. Chapter 6

The Overboss had spent the past several days poking around and getting to know the gangs. Mason had learned much of this secondhand. He observed his own clan from the threadbare throne. The sounds of the cage match below were distracting and he growled under his breath. From the sounds of it, the gorilla was winning.

Lots of little things were picking at his patience lately. Most of them were directly related to being stuck in his chair. It was never clear when the Overboss would decide to drop by. The Alpha was keen to make a show of himself during her visits. _He_ was in control. _He_ was always around. _He_ was the boss. She wouldn’t get the chance to go around him. To challenge him. 

His knuckles turned white around the arms of the chair. Mason pulled himself up to his full height as the guard from the main gate approached. He towered over the green-haired woman.

“What is it?”

“Word is the Overboss is makin’ the rounds talking to all the gang leaders.” She looked pleased with herself.

His eyebrows furrowed. “And?”

“And she told them she’s not interested in… how’d she say it?” She held a finger to her chin, trying to remember.

Mason’s eye twitched and his fists were balled.

The smile evaporated when she noticed his expression. “Uh- she said she wasn’t gonna like, deal with… No, uh it was ‘not get involved with’ the gangs being shitty to each other? Like she wasn’t gonna take anybody out from one gang because of another gang.” The messenger smiled sheepishly, shrugging.

The Pack leader grimaced, gesturing her back to the gate. His tone was sarcastic. “I appreciate the tremendous powers of your memory.” He sighed and rolled his eyes. The intel wasn’t terrible, but was it _that_ hard to remember some words? “Now get back to work.” There was a finality in his voice as he shooed her away. 

“Right, boss.” Her pace quickened as she disappeared towards the gate. 

 _So we can expect her to swing by anytime. Great._  

Mason slumped his oversized frame into the seat, grunting in discomfort. He laced his fingers behind his head and stared up at the sky.

 _Guess it would’ve been too convenient to expect the Boss to deal with ‘em._

His mind wandered. A few light clouds blew by, obscuring the sun for a moment as they continued their slow arc across the sky.

“Mason.”

It was the second time she’d caught him off guard. He played it off as nonchalance, expressly avoiding her gaze. 

“Heard you might drop by. To what does this Alpha owe the pleasure, _boss_?” His eyes rolled her direction, resting on the fresh scar dividing her lip. 

Her face remained stony. “Not surprising that every one of you gangs sent some well-wishers my way. I just figured you might want to hear news directly from the source.”

She wasn’t wrong- Colter had always sent Gage to communicate with the gangs. Rarely did he deign to show up in person. Visiting each boss herself? It was kind of impressive.

_Colter was always too busy sitting on his lazy ass patting himself on the back._

“Well?” Maxx’s hands rested on her hips. She rolled the heel of a boot back and forth, impatient.

“Well, what? You wanna talk? Talk. I ain’t going anywhere.” He patted the armrest.

“I’m impressed. You’ve already learned how to _stay_. Colter teach that to you?” She continued before he had the chance to speak. “Be a good boy and don’t go trying to bite the hand that feeds you. It won’t end well.”

His face darkened. “You’d better watch that busted mouth of yours-“

Maxx cut him off. “I assume you already know what I have to say. Enjoy your evening.” The cheerful tone was mocking as she returned to the Zoo entrance.

Mason was livid. She’d called him on his bullshit, and managed to outmaneuver him. If he’d tried to call her back, he’d appear weak to the rest of the Pack. Playing it off as belligerent indifference was the best he could do.

_That fucking bitch._

She was smarter than Colter. Played dirtier. The Pack leader was done playing games.

_She’ll do right by us, or she’ll die._

It was time for the king to leave the castle.

***

Mason had waited until nightfall to leave his post. Vertebrae popped and cracked as his body unfolded from the chair. He flexed each arm to get the blood flowing. The lack of movement had made him lethargic, but the cool of the evening had tempered his anger. He was going to show the _boss_ that he meant business. He’d just had more time to think about how she would learn that lesson. There wasn’t a concrete plan- he was just taking a walk. If he happened to run into the Boss, well, he couldn’t really help that, could he?

A toothy grin spread across his face as he daydreamed about the look of surprise on _her_ face when he came to pay _her_ a visit. Despite what he’d witnessed in the arena, Mason wasn’t convinced that the new Overboss was much of a threat.

_Catch her unaware. Close quarters…_

He chuckled to himself. If he could leverage the threat of his strength, she’d think twice before trying to undermine him again. If she was going to challenge his position as leader of the Pack, she could have to pay in blood.

“You let yourself off the leash?” Maxx called across the street to him..

Mason replied through gritted teeth. “The Alpha don’t got a leash.”

“Mmn. Gotcha.” There was a different kind energy as fell in step with him. Her mood was jovial and there was a flush to her cheeks. He unconsciously slowed his gait to match hers.

“Where’s your body guard?”

“Gage? Gave him the night off. Of course, I don’t know if _he_ knows that yet.” She side eyed the pack master, chuckling. “You know you’re the first gang…whatever” she waved her hand dismissively, “to actually leave their ivory tower?”

Mason blinked, staring down at her. _What the fuck’s gotten into her?_

He recovered. “The fuck is an ivory tower?”

“High horse?” she shrugged. “Throne? Castle? Uh… your ‘I’m too fancy for everyone’ spot.”

He nodded slowly, trying to follow her ramblings.

The Overboss bit her bottom lip, trying to hold back the smile spreading across her face. She pulled a bottle from the inside of her coat, tipping it to her mouth.

_She’s drunk. The ball busting, hard assed bitch is fucking drunk._

Maxx pressed the bottle at him, still grinning. “You want?” She dropped her voice to a loud whisper. “Being Overboss has _some_ perks. That fuckhead Colter left me a nicely stocked bar in that _ivory tower_ ,” she paused. “See how I used that there? Eh?” She ribbed at him with an elbow.

He took the bottle gingerly from her hand, taking a deep swig. He wasn’t one to turn down free liquor.

“Now you’re in my debt. You know that, right?”

His frown lifted when he saw her idiot face trying to suppress a grin. Hot anger bubbled under the surface.

 _This?_ _This fucking mess was the new Overboss? This fucking mess had tried to put him in his place?_

The thought enraged him. This woman had somehow gotten lucky. Colter had been extra sloppy that day. There was no way _this_ woman had _earned_ the title of Overboss.

_She’ll learn her place. Tonight. All I gotta do is get her out of sight._

He smiled, imagining squeezing her throat closed with one hand. She had taken it to mean he was enjoying the communal spirits, and grabbed the bottle back, mimicking the deep gulps he’d taken.

“I’d put money on your ability to hold your liquor.” She was pressing the bottle back into his middle.

Mason loosed a hearty chuckle. “Don’t see anybody betting against me, that’s for damn sure.” He paused, drinking deeply.

“Didn’t think so.” Maxx was letting him lead as the pair headed towards the original entry gates of the park. “You know when this place was up and running, people would wait for hours just to walk through these gates?” She shook her head, taking another small swig. “I didn’t have the patience for that shit.”

Mason shrugged, noncommittal. He swirled the remainder of the liquid around the bottom of the bottle, hovering it in front of her face.

“To the victor go the spoils, boss.”

She swiped the bottle from his hands, gorging on the last of it, and swinging it towards the pavement. They both watched it shatter. The Overboss with a laugh, the raider with a dark smile.

“Any of you raiders ever come out here? ‘Lotta good defense.” She was tapping her chin, thinking out loud. “Could use the tops of those escalators as a crow’s nest.” The Overboss was pointing at the structure several yards ahead of them. Her brows knit in further concentration. “Yeah. Yeah, I wanna go check that out. “

“Whatever you want, boss.” There was an edge to his voice that she missed, quickening her pace towards the long defunct machines.


	7. Chapter 7

Maxx took the metal stairs two at a time, reaching the top of the escalator platform easily. It was a truly useful vantage point. Set someone up there with long-range capabilities? She nodded, pleased with herself.

“Hey dog man- what do you think abou-” he caught her off guard, hooking an arm around her neck and pulling her forcefully towards him.

Maxx coughed, his solid form colliding with her back and knocking the air from her lungs.

“Mason! What the fuck do you think you’re-”

The Pack leader shushed harshly, pointing a meaty finger just past her nose. She felt his other arm brush her, but couldn’t make out what he was doing. 

She froze. A flash of red moved across the space, a strange squeaking sound following. 

“The fuck is that?” it was more of a hiss than a whisper. 

His voice was husky in her ear. “Rad rats. Sharp teeth, hard to pop because they move so quick.” His grip was still tight around her collar. 

There was other movement in her periphery. She tapped at his arm with a fist, her right hand spinning the revolver into her palm. The closest rat scurried from its hiding place. Seconds later it was a pile of smoking wet meat. 

Mason’s grip on her loosened, and she danced out from under his arm just in time to blow another rat away inches from their feet. Her eyes followed the darting movements farther out. It took four shots to down the next two, each of them exploding into wet bits of confetti. The last of the irradiated pests charged from the right, lifting off of the ground in slow motion and hurling straight towards her. The barrel was straight and she squeezed the trigger… She was out of ammunition.

There was no time to get out of the way. The Overboss could only watch in horror as the rodent careened towards her. A shrill screech echoed through the square, and Maxx watched the carcass tumble down the back of the escalator. She could just make out the distinct shape of a blade handle sticking out of its back. 

“Thanks.” She didn’t meet his gaze, digging in a waist pouch while scanning the horizon for more. “I think that was it for now.” 

She tipped the gun, letting the cylinder fall open. In one fluid motion she pulled her hand from the pocket. The bullets disappeared inside the holes. Another tilt of the revolver and she slapped at the cylinder, checking that it spun smoothly. 

“I gotta say- while I appreciate the assist, can we remember how strong our ham-hands are next time? Felt like you were trying to choke me.” She rubbed at her collar, chuckling.

“How do you know I wasn’t, _boss_?” Mason’s eyes shone dangerously, reflecting what little light there was. His hands were placed firmly on his hips, and he stared down at her with a hungry smile. 

“Because that,” she met his gaze with fire in her eyes, “Would be the last mistake you’d ever make.” 

The revolver snapped back into her hand. The barrel stared him down, a small burst exploding from the end. 

The Pack master paled, thoughtlessly patting at his torso until the pained screech registered. Pivoting, he scrutinized the rad rat remains less than a yard from him. 

“Now we’re even.” Maxx stood beside him, holstering the gun. Her cheeks blazed, and she breathed deep, letting the adrenaline drain from her limbs. 

“Look, I know you’re not thrilled about having a new Overboss,” she tilted her head up to see his face. “But you asked me something that first time we met.” 

Mason nodded, staring out into the horizon. “Yup.” 

“Am I going to do right by the Pack?” 

He grunted. “I dunno, are you?” 

She smirked. “I dunno, what do _you_ think?”

Mason shrugged, noncommittal. He folded his arms, peering at her from the corner of his eye. 

“I said I had big plans for this place. I meant it."

Another grunt.

“But I can’t do much of anything if I’m dead.”

A gruff chuckle.

Maxx stepped around, standing squarely in front of him. She stared him down. No façade. No tough act, just her.

“Safari Kingdom.”

_That got his attention._

His eyes shifted to her face, waiting for her to finish.

The Overboss mirrored his heavy contrapposto. “You want it?”

Mason let the question hang in the air.

“Its yours if you can make me believe we’re allies.”

“Fine.” He bent at the hip, leaning towards her threateningly. “But if you try to fuck us, “ they were almost nose to nose, “You’d better watch your back, _boss_." 

The sound of Gage clearing his throat made both parties jump.

“There you are, Boss. Wondered where you’d got to.” He eyed Mason suspiciously. “The hell’s goin on here?” 

“Just doin’ some business, Gage.” The Alpha sneered at him, turning his attention back to Maxx. “Make good on our deal, Overboss.” 

She wasn’t cowed. “Considering it was my proposal, I don’t think it’s going to be a problem.” 

Mason gave Gage a nod. “Be seeing you.”

Gage’s eyes narrowed. “Not if I see you first.” 

He waited until the hulking redhead was out of earshot. “Boss just what the hell are you thinkin’?”

“I was thinkin’ I need a drink, my friend.” She breathed a sigh of relief. “You’re buying.”

***

Mason watched the two head towards Cappy’s Café- the only bar that catered to all the gangs. Most of the Pack would be settling in, a few on watch, a handful prowling the dark looking for action.

The Alpha turned, walking the opposite direction. He skirted the walls to the Zoo, ducking through the main doors. Pack members barked and howled at his arrival, otherwise leaving him alone. He was looking forward to some quiet time away from all the fuss 

The length of space backstage had been converted into quarters. The original Alphas had most likely been responsible for the transformation. In the back corner was his bed. Against the opposite wall was a dresser. There was little else of mention in the room.

He inhaled deeply, stretching the tension from stiff limbs. His face twisted as he caught wind of himself.

_God damn._

Mason was big on grooming. One only had to look at his face and hair to see that. It took time to shape the stubble on his face. The faded tracks on the sides of his head. The rest of the Pack could roll in the mud like pigs in shit, but he was the Alpha. 

Several of the park’s restrooms had been retrofitted with showers. These renovations had been mostly carried out by early traders as they tried to engineer their community. His was backstage. The bathrooms were originally designed for actors in the park’s live performances. There was a long row of lighted mirrors directly outside the restroom doors. The countertops running underneath were littered with grooming tools- scissors, a razor, towels, some combs, and an ornate hairbrush.

Mason wandered past them, leaving a trail of filthy clothing on the floor. He paused to slide the pants off, letting them hit the floor with a satisfying thump.

The water rushed out of the makeshift plumbing, bouncing off of the stained tile. At some point one of the toilets had been ripped out and replaced with a shower. He wasn’t sure how they’d gotten all of it hooked up and running, but it didn’t matter. So long as the water was hot.

Scalding water stung his skin pink. A cloud of steam filled the room with humid air as he let the water beat down on his shoulders, untying the knots of the day.

_Safari Kingdom, huh?_

He frowned, thinking about their exchange. A whole park was a pretty fucking good carrot. But he had doubts about her intentions. Everybody had ulterior motives.

Mason breathed deep, letting the heat lull him into a deep relaxation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Monday! Have a present.


	8. Chapter 8

Maxx’s head was pounding.

Something warm and solid snored beside her and the Overboss shot up like a rocket. Her chest rose and fell sharply with the sigh of relief. Gage’s seated form was slumped. His arms were crossed over his chest, head drooping forward. The raider was still in his full gear. One booted foot was propped on the ground. 

_Must have fallen asleep on watch last night. Oh god. Last night…_

She could clearly remember negotiating with Mason. Gage had shown up, and she’d made him take her drinking. There were fragments dancing around the cloud currently filling her brain. Maxx was sure there’d been shots. Lots of shots. Possibly some grandstanding and gunplay. And cards? 

Pushing herself up with an unsteady arm, she noted the mound of caps on the desk. 

_Yup. There had been cards._  

The Overboss slid her legs over the edge of the mattress and stretched. Her legs were unsteady beneath her. 

“Gage- where are my pants?” Her toe snagged something, and she was crumbling forward. Her ass hit the floor with a resounding thud. “Mmn Never mind- I found ‘em.” 

Gage blinked slowly, half asleep and grumbling to himself as she pulled the jeans up around her waist. 

Maxx navigated behind the track-shaped counter in the center of the room. “How did we get back here? _When_ did we get back here?” There was an airy hiss as she opened the can of water.

The raider had managed to roll both legs over the side of the bed, still grumbling unintelligibly at her. 

She continued to press him. “Gaaaage…”

He groaned, rubbing his face and eyes.

She was out of patience. She needed answers. “Gage!”

“I’m awake.” He waved her off. “ I’m awake god damnit.” He pushed himself up, joints creaking as he made his way to the bar. “What the hell is it, Boss? You askin’ me just how bad you fucked up last night. Or maybe you wanna ask me advice on digging that hole a little deeper.” 

Maxx frowned. “What did I do?” 

_This time. What did I do this time?_

Gage looked annoyed. “You shot me.” 

Her eyes ran the length of his body. “I don’t see any-” 

“You made me balance a beer bottle on my head, and you shot _at_ me.” 

“Oh.” She took another sip of water. “Yup, sounds like something I’d do.” 

“Uh huh. Well, you didn’t stop there.” 

The Boss’ elbows were on the counter. “I don’t assume I would have, no.”

“You put about ten raiders in a line and did the same thing.”

“I don’t see how it’s _that_ bad, Gage.”

“That wasn’t the worst thing.” His voice was grave. 

Her stomach dropped. “What?” 

“You started broadcasting that the Pack’s gonna get Safari Kingdom.” 

_Shit._  

“Oh.” Maxx’s voice was quiet. 

“I’m gonna be real honest with ya Boss. And its somethin’ you oughtta already know. You don’t show your cards at the table!” 

“That pile of caps over there should prove I didn’t.” Her gaze drifted to something suddenly interesting on the floor. 

“You know what I mean.” 

“Yeah,” she pushed herself up, meeting his angry stare with a frown. “What exactly did I say about Safari Kingdom?”

“You started goin’ on about the Pack being animals and that they deserved to live in a zoo- that sorta thing.”

She breathed a sigh of relief. The deal remained a secret- for now- and that was the most important thing. 

Her face was suddenly serious. “Get the gang leaders together. We need to meet on neutral ground. As soon as possible.” 

“I hope you know what you’re doin’, Boss.” 

Maxx gulped the water and slammed the empty can on the counter. “Oh trust me, I do.” 

Gage grabbed her jacket and turned to leave. “I’ll have ‘em past the front gate in an hour. Clean yourself up for Christ sakes.” He shoved the leather heap at her, shaking his head and grumbling under his breath. 

She chuckled, folding the jacket over her arm. “Yeah, yeah. I got this.” 

_Don’t I?_  

*** 

The early afternoon was temperate but bright. Maxx shielded her eyes, passing through the archway.

The three gang leaders looked like they were ready to take someone’s head off. 

_Probably mine._  

“So the boss finally decides to grace us with her presence.” Mags’ snobby drawl was accompanied by an annoyed sigh. “I’m surprised we didn’t just meet at the bar. I hear you’re great at cards.” 

Nisha was more direct. “What did Mason offer you that was worth more than your life?” A cruel smile spread across the bottom half of her face. “Because I hope it’s worth it.” 

“Perhaps you’ve forgotten who I am.” Her brows furrowed. “I am your _Overboss_. I’m not here for your threats. I’m here to make a plan for reclaiming the rest of Nuka World.” 

She stared them all down. 

“And _Mason_ didn’t promise me anything. He didn’t know anything about my plans. How could he? Stuck on that gilded throne all day.” She rolled her eyes. “You really think this animal would have something to offer?” 

“Watch it there, _boss_.” Mason’s voice was gruff at the offense. “Nisha’s not the only one who doesn’t make empty threats.” 

Mags seemed to contemplate her words. “And how are we supposed to believe you?” She shot a glance at Gage, trying to read his expression. 

“I guess you’ll just have to wait and see what I do, won’t you?” Her hand was on the grip of the revolver at her side. “Now, do you want to hear the plan, or do you want to waste more time asking me stupid questions?” 

Gage chuckled behind them. Mason turned to glare. 

“Apologies, Boss. We just need to know we’re being treated fairly is all.” Mags smile was more of a smirk. 

_More double speak._  

Maxx stepped closer to the circle, pulling a crinkled park map out. “We have six areas total including Nuka Town. Dry Rock Gulch, Safari Kingdom, the Galactic Zone, Kiddie Kingdom, and the bottling plant.” The others nodded. “Not one gang has managed to secure anything outside of Nuka Town.” She eyed them all smugly. 

Mason broke in. “Don’t mean nobody tried, _boss_.” 

“Uh huh…” She was staring back at the map. “So each of these areas is prime real estate.” 

“Would you like to give us any more obvious insights?” Mags looked bored. 

She ignored the Operator. “I propose you give me some time to scope out the locations with Gage. From there I’ll determine the easiest locations to take, and move on from there.” 

“And what about dividing it all up?” Nisha had been listening quietly.

“We’ll just have to see what each of you has to offer. I’m not doing this for free.” She grinned and turned to leave. 

The three stayed quiet, exchanging glances. 

“And one more thing before I go,” there was a haughty smile on her face, “This is my operation. You don’t get a say in it unless I say you do. Remember that next time you think threatening your Overboss is a good idea.” 

Gage let out a low whistle watching her walk away. He turned to follow her. 

“Don’t forget that you sleep closest to us, Gage.” Nisha’s voice was cold steel. “Sweet dreams.” 

He chuckled without a backward glance. 

*** 

“Are you sure about this Boss?” Gage reclined in the booth seat propping his feet on the tabletop.

“Those assholes need to realize that they’re dealing with me. Not Colter, not some other fucking raider asshole. ME.” Her face was red.

“Alright Boss. Alright.” He had both hands in the air. “Calm down for chris’sakes. What’s got you all worked up?” 

“I don’t want to keep watching my back, Gage. They want something from me, they’re gonna have to play nice.” She took a drag from the cigarette. “I’m over the bullshit.” She was fitting new pieces into place on the rifle. Picking it up, she tested the scope. 

“You got that thing tuned up yet?” Gage watched her with interest. “Still don’t know what you said to Mason to make him feel so generous.”

“I called him a dog and told him I would put him down.” Maxx squinted, letting the smoke rise past her eyes. “Pack’s easy, you just have to peacock a bit and you’re in." 

Gage nodded slowly. “S’pose you’re right there, Boss.” He tipped the beer to his mouth. “Fuckin’ pisswater.”

“So I’m gonna give this old girl a test run.” She patted the stock with a grin. “Wanna join me?”

“Nah,” he shook his head, taking another swig. “Figure I can hold down the fort while you’re gone.” 

Maxx tossed the rifle over her back with a nod. “Be back.” She smacked the red button on the makeshift elevator and slowly descended to the ground below.

She hummed along with the Pip-Boy as she walked, reaching the front gates quicker than she’d expected. To her surprise several pack members had taken up positions around the perimeter. Two sat up on the escalators, using it as a crow’s nest.

_Well, what do you know?_  

The Overboss smiled as she climbed the stairs, Problem Solver in hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Wednesday. Hope you enjoy. Feel free to comment- they keep me goin' :D


	9. Chapter 9

Dry Rock Gulch had bloodworms. A few had sprung from the ground and scared the living shit out of both of them. 

_Blood worms. Check. Moving on…_  

The Galactic Zone was full of Robots. Angry robots. Maxx and Gage had barely made it out without getting laser burns. Luckily, the robots didn’t pursue anything outside of the gates.

_Robots. Maybe we deal with the robots later. Much later._  

Safari Kingdom had been more difficult to see without a good vantage point. There were a lot of plants, but she wasn’t willing to step very far inside with the limited visibility. Maxx eyed the wall around it. 

“You know if I could find a way up there-” 

“Aw, forget it Boss. I ain’t tryin’ to catch your silly ass when you fall off’a that damn wall.” 

They both chuckled, exchanging glances. The Overboss and her number one had grown close since the Gauntlet. Gage was easy to read. He usually spoke his mind, and seemed genuinely invested in the fate of the parks. Maxx trusted him. Their easy rapport surprised her. He was the first friend she’d had in a long time. 

“Don’t think I’d trust you to catch me, eyepatch.” 

“Oh ha ha.” He rolled his eyes, becoming impatient. “Can we move on already?” 

“Yeah, yeah. I’m coming.” Something moved in the corner of her eye. When she spun around, there was nothing. 

_Could’ve sworn…_

“So where to next?”

“Let’s get a better look at the bottling plant. Maybe take a break.” She pulled a can of water from one of the pouches at her waist. “Hot today.”

Gage grunted, sticking his hand out. 

“And who said I was sharing this water?” She glared at him with mock indignation.

“Just hand it over- sooner we’re watered, the sooner we can get on with it.”

They’d finished the day checking out the last two locations. The bottling plant was too big to think about taking on just the two of them. It swarmed with Mirelurks, and there was no telling what was going on inside the building. 

Kiddie Kingdom was a horror show. A cross between a children’s storybook and a zombie nightmare, the park was infested with feral Ghouls. The Geiger counter had ticked angrily.

_Radioactive. Check. Ghouls. Check. Looks like I’m gonna need Power Armor._  

The sun was nearly behind the horizon when they’d returned to the Overboss’ quarters. 

“Alright, I’m thinking we hit Dry Rock first.”

“Uh huh.” Gage had gotten to the point where he knew when she was thinking out loud.

Maxx had begun to pace the room and gesticulated as she spoke. “It’s the closest, and I think we can handle the bloodworms. We just have to make sure we’ve got armor and plenty of ammo…”

She continued for the next hour while she paced. 

“What do you think?” 

Gage rolled the beer bottle idly around the table. “I think it sounds like a pretty good plan, Boss.” His eyelid was heavy. It had been a long day for both of them. 

“Good. ‘Cause we roll out tomorrow. Early. "

He groaned. “I swear you’re tryin’ to kill me, Boss.” He swigged the rest of the beer and wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. “But I’ll be ready.” 

Maxx smiled. “Hey Gage?” 

“Yeah Boss?” 

“Thanks.” 

“For what?” he eyed her cautiously.

 “For having my back. I appreciate that you’re around.”

 “Yeah, yeah Boss. You know I hate the sappy crap.” 

Maxx faked a frown. 

“But if I have to deal with a new Overboss, it might as well be you,” he conceded. 

“That’s what I thought.” She smiled, shucking off her jacket. “I’m hitting the showers, number one. Hold down the fort.” 

“I’ll make sure I don’t light the place on fire.” 

She called over her shoulder before disappearing through the doors. “Very thoughtful of you.” 

“Well, you know me, Boss. Always thoughtful.” 

*** 

It had taken them a good chunk of the day clearing out Dry Rock Gulch. Bloodworm carcasses littered the dusty ground. They looked like exploded meat sacks. The smell was even more graphic after they’d baked all day in the sun. 

Maxx scrunched her nose. “The Operators can clean that mess up ‘cause I’m not dealing with it.” The lantern light cast long shadows in the barn.

Gage sat with his back against the wall. “Don’t blame you. I ain’t cleaning that shit up either.” 

“How’s your arm?” She scooted closer to check the bandage. “Doesn’t look too bad.” 

Gage pulled his arm back. “I’m fine, Boss. Quit that nurse shit.” 

“Yep, you’re definitely fine.” She smiled and offered him a can of water. “Drink up Mr. Pain-in-the-Ass.” He rested her elbows on her knees. The two were quiet for a long while as orange light flickered around the room. 

“Gage?”

“Yeah Boss?”

“How am I doin? As Overboss?” Part of her was surprised to be opening up.

He laughed. “What, you fishing for compliments now?” 

“I’m being serious.”

He was taken aback. “I mean, yeah Boss. We’re really doin’ it. Keepin’ the gangs from killing each other. Takin’ back the park.” 

“Little by little. As long as Nisha doesn’t stab me in my sleep, I think we’re good.”

Gage shifted uncomfortably. “Be careful with her, Boss. She’s dangerous.” 

Her voice was soft. “I know. I’m watching.” She scooted up next to him. “Truth? She’s the only one I’m actually worried about. Mags can be bought, and Mason seems the most reasonable of all of them. Easy to deal with, save the smell.” 

He laughed aloud. “Yeah, I get what you’re sayin." 

Maxx yawned. “Gonna turn in.” She patted his shoulder. “Lots of garbage to take out tomorrow.” She was drained physically and mentally. 

Gage studied the lines of fatigue in her face. “I’ll take watch. Getcha some sleep.” 

She was too tired to pretend to argue. “Mm hmm.” She rubbed her eyes. “Night.” 

Maxx disappeared under the sleeping bag. 

*** 

The key to Mad Mulligan’s Mine Cart ride had a bright blue Quantum bottle on it. It had taken a string of tedious errands to acquire. Maxx and Gage each checked their guns.

“You ready?” 

Gage grunted in response. 

The attraction’s door opened with a click and a wave of dizzying nostalgia hit her. 

_I liked roller coasters, didn’t I?_  

It seemed like such a long time ago. 

“Keep your eyes open, Boss.” Gage’s good eye was casing the dark room. 

Amorphous shapes moved in the back corner of the room. 

“Bloodworms.” Her whisper echoed in the small space. 

“I see ‘em.” Gage was already aiming at the squirming masses. 

The revolver spun into her hand, and she fired off three shots. The oversized worms screeched as they died, transformed into wet meat puddles.

“Show off.” Gage pressed forward, leading the way into the narrow hallway. The path lead them through the building. 

It lead to a larger chamber where patrons would have boarded the ride. The floor in the center seemed to have been swallowed up. Maxx froze, peering into the chasm. There was movement coming from inside a rotting Brahmin carcass. She cringed, raising her arm to fire. The Overboss wasn’t quick enough, and the animal exploded. A mass of bloodworms quivered all around what little was left. 

“Ugh- gross!” She took aim, blowing two of the worms away. 

Gage lined up his shots, mowing down the last of them. “Hate it when they do that.”

Both of them were covered in blood spatter and gore.

“I’m going to pretend that none of that made it into my mouth.” She burped, trying not to throw up. 

“Needed that visual. Thanks Boss.” He banged a fist against his chest, doing the same. 

They continued forward, wary of any more movement. 

“Pretty sure we’ve covered most of this place.” Maxx’s eyes darted around looking for signs of life. Just out of sight was a writing mass of dead flesh ready to rupture. 

“Boss, I think I- Shit!” Gage fired as the bloodworms exploded from another corpse. Maxx sighted down the barrel and squeezed the trigger. Once. Twice. The third was the charm. The bloodworms lay motionless. 

He turned to her with a wet, red face. 

“I think you missed a spot.” 

He shot her the bird, glaring. Maxx shoved a rag towards him in response. “Just wipe that shit off your face, ok?” 

***

When the pair rolled back into Nuka Town, it was dark. Maxx’s feet ached as she shuffled along. A groan escaped as she trudged towards the Parlour, better known as the Operators’ hub. The last thing she wanted to do was deal with the Black siblings. 

“Hey Overboss. Makin’ trouble?” The doorman stifled a surprised gasp. “That ain’t your blood, right?” 

Maxx and Gage laughed in unison. She patted the bouncer’s shoulder leaving a red gelatinous residue behind. “Cost of real estate these days.” He was extremely confused watching them walk through the doors. 

“Well, well. Looks like the two of you have been very busy.” An amused smirk played on Mags’ face. William stood behind her. “What can I help you with?” 

“Dry Rock Gulch. We cleared it out.” Maxx’s expression was blank. 

“Oh really? And what does that have to do with the Operators?” 

“It’s Operator territory now. On one condition.” 

“I’m listening.” 

“You get behind me. No more snark, no more questioning my motives.” 

“I think I can arrange that.” A small smile. “What have we done to deserve such a lovely gift?” 

“You want to make caps. Caps mean better resources for everyone. More caps equals more people. More people equals more caps.”

Mags and William nodded.

Maxx grinned. “Plus, there’s a saloon. I suggest that be your first priority.”

“Alright Overboss. We have a deal.”

Maxx turned to leave with Gage in tow.

“And Boss?” 

“Yes?” 

“Come see us in a few days. We might have something for you.” 

The Overboss nodded, ducking out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Feel free to leave Comments and Kudos. I'm really excited at how many people seem to be enjoying the story :)


	10. Chapter 10

_It’s my fault. It’s all my fault. Oh god, Gage’s leg._

Maxx was hyperventilating. She felt ready to throw up at any second. The suit of power armor had deep gashes to the chest and her head was spinning. 

Doctor Mackenzie from the market was operating on Gage behind closed doors in the infirmary. A trail of blood left puddles on the floor. It mixed with the dirt creating a grisly, sickening mud. Maxx was pale and fidgeting, unable to speak. She had closed the main doors to the infirmary herself. No one needed to see any more than they already had. 

Her heart hammered in her chest. She replayed the attack and felt fresh panic fill her insides. 

 _Monsters. Deathclaws. Not Deathclaws. Lizards. Deathclaw lizards._  

Maxx shook from shoulders to fingertips. The power armor rattled and creaked. She had been thankful for the discovery. The two of them had been scouting around the skeletal roller coaster looking for a way up the wall of Safari Kingdom. They’d found the incomplete set of X01 armor sitting quietly in an old shed. It had made more sense to take it then and there with so many of the factions spying on her every move. She didn’t want it disappearing. 

_If I hadn’t had the suit-_

She couldn’t finish the thought. Tears rolled silently from her eyes down her chin. Her pupils were dilated. The room swam in and out of focus.

 _Gage would be dead. I would be dead._  

The Gatorclaw had caught them by surprise. Gage had gone after it with a shotgun. Maxx had frozen. The Overboss watched in slow motion as the monstrosity struck him down like a rag doll. Razor sharp claws tore through his leg. The monster’s gaze had shifted and it was running at her full speed. Fear paralyzed her as it roared, scraping up sand and flinging it at her face. 

It was on top of her. The power armor groaned under the weight of the thing. The Gatorclaw raked at the chest plate, using claws like a can opener. Colossal jaws opened over her head, ready to snap. 

The shot was deafening and there was something wet dripping down her face. Gage smiled then hit the dirt. It took great effort on her part- even with the suit- to shove the giant reptile carcass off of her. 

As soon as she was on her feet, Maxx jammed the Stimpaks into his leg. She’d carried him back, swinging his limp form over her shoulder. His leg looked like ground beef. There was a lot of blood. 

 _His leg- oh Jesus Christ his leg-_  

Maxx paled, trying not to retch. Mackenzie slipped out the doors to the makeshift operating room. Her clothes were covered in red and she smelled heavily of iron. 

“Boss?” 

The words barely registered. Maxx was trapped in the terrors of her mind. 

“Boss? I’m going to give you a sedative, but I need you to get out of the power armor.” Her voice was gentle. “Can you do that for me?” 

The Overboss nodded numbly. “Yeah. Yeah, ok.” She wouldn’t remember complying when she woke up the following morning. The doctor’s voice seemed far away as she drifted off. The room blurred into darkness. 

*** 

Maxine Xavier spent two days sitting in the infirmary. She looked like hell. Gage was still out cold. In true Overboss fashion she’d ordered the doctor to stay with him.

Maxx had managed to find the liquor in a filing cabinet drawer. There was a good chance she’d lost all track of time. Her focus was on Gage and her guilt. The emotions of it all were too much. She tipped her head back with the bottle, gulping hungrily.

Mackenzie had ceased trying to stop her. The boss was catatonic and staring off into space. She hadn’t spoken to the doctor since demanding that the woman stay with Gage. She hadn’t eaten in two days, and Mackenzie was fairly certain that she’d had little to no water. Her face was gaunt and pale. The doctor could just make out bruising along her collar. She got up to check on her patient. 

Gage let out a groan, looking around. “Where’s the Boss. She ok?” 

“She’s…fine. Good to see you up and about.” The doctor pulled back the blanket, checking his leg. “Wound’s healing, but it’s going to take you a while to recover.” 

“Gage.” Maxx hovered in the doorway. She swayed on her feet gripping the bottle. “Get out.” She was glaring at Mackenzie, who backed out of the room slowly with her hands in the air. 

Gage studied her face. “Looks like you’re on quite a bender there, Boss.” His voice was weaker than normal. 

“Yeah.” She guzzled the last of the liquid and dropped the empty bottle. 

He chuckled. “You know I’m gonna be fine. Too stubborn to get taken out by a goddamned lizard.” 

She smiled slightly. “Yeah, yeah I know.” 

His eyes had started to droop again and he yawned. “Boss.” Maxx met his gaze. “S’not your fault, what happened out there.” 

She nodded quietly.

“And you can’t stay here. You’re the Overboss. Gotta get out there with the people.” 

“Alright.” 

“Well what’re you waiting for? Get the hell outta here.” His face was stern. “And for shit’s sakes, clean yourself up. You look like a fuckin’ zombie.” He punctuated the statement with a yawn. 

“I’ll be back to check on you.” 

“’Course you will. Now get out and go be the Boss.” He shifted slightly, letting his eyes close. “I need my beauty sleep.” 

The Overboss laughed despite the circumstances. She was thankful he couldn’t see the tears running down her face. 

*** 

Mason stared, dumbfounded. 

 _What the hell is she doing here?_  

Maxx had marched herself through the doors. Her face and neck were caked in dried blood. It matted her hair. The woman looked insane. 

“You. Me. Now.” 

_Alright, so this is how its gonna go._

“You do remember this is Pack territory, right?” The sight of her face wiped the smirk off of his. 

“Do you really want to piss me off?” At least she was aware of the effects of her appearance. 

“Uh, no boss.” 

 _Not today at least._  

Mason stood over her. “Let’s go someplace more…private.” He was more and more uncomfortable the longer he looked at her. 

Maxx’s arms were folded over her chest. She stared upwards waiting for him to lead the way. He could swear she was swaying in place. 

“Well?” 

“Right this way, _boss_.” He spoke through gritted teeth. 

 _The fuck’s gotten into her? And what the hell is going on?_  

There had been plenty of rumors about the Overboss and Gage the past two days. He’d been curious. No one had seen either of them after they’d entered the infirmary.

Mason opened the door to his apartment and showed her in. “Now, just what the hell’s so important that you showed up looking like…” He eyed her up and down again. “ _That_.” 

“None of your goddamn business. How about that?” She was close enough that he could smell the alcohol. 

“And you’re drunk off your ass?” He was genuinely taken aback. 

“I am absolutely not, and how dare you-” She paused to burp holding up one finger. “Just a- just a minute.” The stress, alcohol, and lack of food or water had done it. Stomach churning, she doubled over and threw up. 

“Well that’s nice. Real classy boss.” Mason wrenched open the door to the bathroom and dragged her in. Maxx’s knees were knocking and she collapsed in front of the toilet. She hurled until her stomach was empty. It dawned on her that the pack master was sitting across the room. 

She wiped her mouth on the back of a glove and spat into the toilet. “Well,” she rasped, panting over the opening, “Bet you’re enjoying every minute of this.” She laughed bitterly, turning to spit again. 

“Can’t say I don’t want to boss, but this? You’re just…pitiful.”

“Yeah.” Her head drooped and she steadied it against the toilet seat. 

Her face was hot with frustration and Maxx could no longer fight back the tears. “S’not every day y-you almost get a friend killed.” She sniffed in vain as snot dripped from her nostrils. “J-just maimed though.” She smiled bitterly. 

Mason crossed the room and walked past her to the shower knobs. “Look boss, I can’t deal with this level of pathetic. I’m gonna turn this on and walk outta here. Clean yourself up and I’ll dig up something that’s not crusted in blood...or snot.” He nose wrinkled at the last word and he was out the door. 

Maxx stumbled to her feet, still teetering. She didn’t have the energy left to argue with him. The coat she peeled of gingerly. The rest was in a heap on the floor. She dragged herself under the hot water and watched the red-brown circle the drain. The Overboss stayed under the water for a long time. 

When the sound of water finally stopped, Mason knocked lightly on the door. “Clothes’re just outside the door.” She could hear his footsteps fade. 

The t-shirt was surprisingly soft. The jeans were too big, but a belt would easily fix that. Her wet hair stuck to the sides of her face. She’d folded the leather jacket over one arm, the network of belts and gun holster in the other. Weariness crept into her bones and her body swayed back and forth. 

Mason sat in an old easy chair with a hand to his temple. He pointed a finger over his shoulder. “Drink.” 

She dropped the pile. Maxx wasn’t aware of how thirsty she was. Two cans of water later her eyelids were drooping. The pack master studied her. The train wreck in front of him didn’t square up with her typical ball-busting, boss-like behavior. She was like a lost child. The oversized clothes didn’t help with the visual. 

He motioned to the bed in the corner. “Go sleep it off.” Part of him was surprised to see her comply so easily. 

The jeans scuffed as she shuffled like a zombie towards the bed. Her brain was fuzzy and she was too tired to think. The Overboss rolled herself onto the mattress. She fell asleep breathing in the earthy scent on the pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was one of those chapters where I went back and reread it an was like "Niiiiice"
> 
> Hope you're having a nice Wednesday ;) Feel free to leave Kudos and Comments.


	11. Chapter 11

_A day an’ a half she’s been asleep._  

The pack master sat back in his chair. He scanned the Zoo, watching for any strange behavior. None of the Pack had mentioned anything about the Overboss. Chances were they knew he’d tear their head off if they did. 

_Just what in the hell happened out there?_  

The sight of her that day. Blood everywhere. The psychotic look in her eyes. 

_And what was she doing here?_

He’d sent a reliable messenger to fill in the blanks. From what he gathered, Gage had been seriously injured when the two were outside the walls and she’d gone crazy.

The bruising around her neck and collar left him with more questions. 

Evening was quickly approaching. The pit cleared out and pack members ambled away from the main stage. Mason stood slowly, letting the kinks out of his back. 

_Let’s see what the Overboss has been up to._  

She was sitting up in bed drinking more water. The color was coming back to her face. Her hair was a rat’s nest. 

“Still kicking over there?” His voice filled the room with a sudden volume. Maxx cocked her head. 

“Barely.” She smoothed her hair down. “How long was I out? 

“You got here early yesterday and its dark outside now.” 

She nodded slowly, fidgeting with the can. “Did I- _What_ did I do?” Her eyes drifted to the strange clothes. “I remember screaming at you, but everything after that’s a blur.” She rubbed her forehead.

“It was all very classy I assure you.” He chuckled seeing her face drop. “You just puked a lot. I tossed your sorry ass in the shower, and then you crashed.” 

Maxx eyed him curiously. “And that’s all that happened?” 

“We didn’t fuck if that’s what you mean.” 

Her cheeks darkened. “Right.” 

“Had I known that was on the table though…” The murderous expressions she was making amused him to no end. “Jesus, boss learn to take a joke why don’t you?” 

“You thinking I’d sleep with you is enough of a joke for me.” She was rubbing at her neck and collar. The bruises had faded to an ugly yellow-brown. “But thank you. For this.” She gestured around the room. 

“Simple decision. Now you owe me.” His grin stretched from one ear to the other. “Worth it for a free favor from the Boss.” 

She was sarcastic. “Didn’t figure there was any goodness in your heart. Let me know what you want.” Maxx stood and gathered her things. Anger was building in her chest. It reached a boiling point when she saw the blood on her jacket. 

“No. No, you know what? I don’t owe you shit. I’m the fucking Overboss, not some goddamned pawn at everyone’s disposal. _You_ owe _me_. You owe me your loyalty and some goddamned respect.” Her face was red. 

_Looks like she’s back to normal._

“Yeah? Why’s that?” He was goading her.

“Because it’s your fault we’re here at all! Gage and I were out casing Safari Kingdom when he got hurt.” She prodded him harshly in the chest. “Because I told _you_ ,” another poke, “It was _yours_.” He caught her hand the third time and she faltered. Her shoulders shook and she pulled her hand back from his grasp, jamming her palms into her eyes. 

“So if you want Safari Kingdom, you’re gonna god damn well earn it.” She glared up at him with a sniffle. “Because last time I checked, I wasn’t wearing a fucking collar.”

Mason stood in stunned silence while Maxx worked the belts around her waist and thigh.

“Or are you too busy looking down at everyone from that fucking throne of yours?”

He was incensed. “You think I give a shit what you have to say about it? I _earned_ my seat. What the fuck did you do, _boss_? Something any of us coulda done on our own. You had to get Gage to save your sorry ass.”

“You’re right. That must be why you all waited for a _random stranger_ to come be your savior.” Her laugh was mocking. “Don’t quit your day job, Mason." 

“You better thank whatever god you pray to that you’re the Overboss right now.” 

“And so should you.” Maxx walked towards the door. “Have your shit ready at sunrise. We’re taking the next park.” She paused to throw a look over her shoulder. “Oh, and Mason? We’re even now.” The door slammed behind her.

*** 

The pair walked in relative silence as the sun peaked just above the horizon. Maxx paused to scan the landscape. The pouches around her waist were weighed down with supplies. Mason carried the backpack. She still hadn’t told him what lurked outside Safari Kingdom, but she’d be able to show him soon enough. 

Her heart rate spiked as they neared the roller coaster site. Maxx could clearly make out the solid green mass. She focused on her breathing. 

_Cold air in. Warm air out. Cold air in. Warm air out._  

Her right hand shook around the pistol grip.

“What the hell is that?” 

His voice made her jump. “What? What the hell is what?” It took her a minute to realize he was talking about the dead Gatorclaw. 

“ _That_ is why you’re here.” 

Mason understood immediately why there had been so much blood. The creature was huge. Each claw was at least four inches long and razor sharp. Dangerous as it was, it was very, very dead. Something had been picking at the carcass, and the two of them moved quickly past it. 

“There’s a part of the land here that’ll make it possible to get on top of the wall without climbing.” Her words were shaky as she continued to scan. 

_No surprises this time._  

Mason nodded and continued to follow her lead. He gripped the combat shotgun with both hands, ready for a fight. The path to their destination was clear. Maxx breathed a sigh of relief and stepped onto the top of the wall. It created a narrow but navigable path around the entirety of Safari Kingdom. 

“So lemme get this straight- you expect me to tag along with you around the wall? This very narrow wall? With a straight drop to the bottom if either of us fucks up?” Mason was pale. 

There was a deafening roar in the distance. The creature’s footsteps shook the earth. They exchanged panicked looks.

“Looks like you don’t have a choice.” She scrambled along the top of the wall, sure-footed and nimble. The pack master was not. He stumbled forward but caught his balance. It took him time to catch up to her. 

The two of them peered over the rising edge to watch the Gatorclaw prowling below. Maxx pulled the rifle from her back and took aim. The body kicked up a cloud of dust when it fell.

She couldn’t help but notice Mason’s reticence to look down.

_He’s afraid of heights. All the grandstanding and peacocking and he’s afraid of heights._

“You can stay here.” She tapped his shoulder gently. He jumped at her touch. “I’ll walk the perimeter.” Mason nodded, avoiding the ground with his eyes. He pulled himself onto the wider top of a pylon and took in the landscape. It might’ve seemed pretty if not for the current circumstances. He hummed a foreign tune as she scampered off. 

***

Maxx had taken several hours to make the circuit. Mason had somehow drifted off. His arms crossed while he leaned back against the pack. She stood over him now, unsure how to proceed. 

_If I am too loud, he jumps, he falls. If I touch him, he might jump and fall. Maybe I should just shove him over the edge and let gravity do the rest._

“You need something, boss?” 

She jumped, teetering forward over him and catching herself with her hands. They were face to face.

“You’re such an asshole.” 

“Well, you did tell me not to quit my day job.” He shrugged half-heartedly. 

“You know, if I was afraid of heights I probably wouldn’t try to piss somebody off in this situation.” Her gaze was cold. “Then again, maybe that’s just me.” 

He looked annoyed. Maxx cut him off before he had a chance to argue. “While you were sleeping, I checked out the entire park and some of the bottling factory.” 

_From a distance and through a scope. Just the way I like it._  

“And?” he was unimpressed. 

“And there were more of those things.” Her heart thumped in her chest at the mention of them. “Lucky for us, I was able to snipe them from up here.” The Overboss was grinning, pleased with herself.

“What? You want some kinda prize or somethin’?”

“Some form of appreciation that we don’t have to tiptoe around the park would be nice.” She brushed nonexistent dirt from her shoulder. “Or caps. Caps would work too.” 

“You’ll get what’s owed when the Pack flag is flying over this zoo, _boss_.” 

“Better sooner than later,” she paused to adjust the rifle on her back, “so we’d better get a move on.” 

*** 

The air was cool and the sun was low in the sky when they entered the gates. Recorded jungle sounds played on a loop with an occasional plug for Nuka products. Maxx was far more relaxed having taken care of the monsters from afar. 

“Huh. Looks like I didn’t need you after all.” Her smile was smug. “You should be thanking me though for getting you out of that chair.” 

“Ha ha.” He wiped the sweat from his forehead. “You should try it. Might keep you from drinkin’ too much and pukin’ all over the place.” 

The pair pushed deeper into the center of the park, winding their way through tight alleys. Maxx tried to imagine what it would have looked like in its heyday. 

_This probably would have been off-limits._  

The path lead them to a series of giant cages. Whatever animals it had originally held were long gone. She hopped gracefully onto an oversized log in the center, putting her arms out for balance. 

“This too high for you?” Needling the pack master added to her good mood. “I mean who knows what would happen-” 

“Shh.” Mason had stopped. He was craning his neck around cautiously and his voice was low. “What is that? That thing up ahead there.” 

“It’s called a rock.” She hopped off the log and stood next to him. 

“Look, _boss_ I don’t think rocks move.” He pointed at the nondescript lump just outside the cage. Maxx followed his line of sight. She squinted through the dark wishing she could see better. 

“You’re just trying to scare me. It’s not gonna work. It’s. A. Rock. Mason. Watch.” She pulled the rifle from her back and sighted down the barrel. The shot echoed off the concrete walls. “See? It’s just…just…” 

The Gatorclaw stretched itself to its full height. It roared, enraged. Her eyes moved to the large open door of the enclosure. 

_Oh god. Oh god. Oh. God._

She gripped the rifle in two hands. Mason’s shouts were lost as a dull roar filled her ears. The Gatorclaw was advancing as fast as her heart was pounding. 

_We’re gonna die. We’re gonna die. We’re. Going. To. Die._  

Maxx couldn’t move. The rifle shook in her grasp and her knees were weak. Tears welled in her eyes and spilled over and down her cheeks. She blanched, eyes wide with terror. 

_Just like Gage. Its what I deserve. Just like Gage. I’m sorry my friend. I’m so sorry-_

The impact hit her like a freight train and sent her sprawling across the sandy ground.

“Move your ass, boss!”

She stared up at him, her eyes glazed over. The Gatorclaw leapt onto the giant log and roared. 

“Go! Go! Go!”

Maxx scrambled under the log, narrowly avoiding the raking claws. Her mind was blank. 

_Run. Run! RUN!_  

She rolled to her feet. Something strong was lifting her in the air. Mason tossed her over his shoulder and made a beeline for the opening. The Gatorclaw was closing in. Maxx watched in horror as it swiped towards them. 

Mason rounded the corner with her and continued on. “Up there!” He was pointing at the ladder to a raised cage. The pack master slid her from his shoulder with a good shove forward. “Up the ladder. Now!” 

Maxx was flying. She took the stairs two and three at a time. The momentum had her tumbling towards the opposite side of the small enclosure. She landed painfully against her forearm. The backpack sailed overhead. Mason was the last to enter. He stood tall, eyes scanning the landscape. The two of them could hear the angry cries of the Gatorclaw in the distance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gosh I am really surprised/excited that the story has gotten over 400 hits at this point. Thank you to everyone who has been reading and commenting! I can't wait to share more with all of you :)


	12. Chapter 12

Maxx shook with adrenaline and terror. She sat in the center of the enclosure with her knees pulled up to her chest. Her body rocked gently back and forth. Mason spared a glance at her. Mentally, she was gone. It felt wrong to see the Overboss like this. In shock. He noticed her rapid breathing.

There was no audio or visual signs of the creature. Mason gave the perimeter one last look before dropping into a squat in front of Maxx. 

“Boss?” 

No response. 

“C’mon Overboss, snap out of it.”

Nothing. 

He gripped her by the shoulders. “Maxx!” 

Her eyes found his face and she stared at him dumbly. 

Mason cupped her face in calloused hands and looked her in the eyes. “Snap out of it. Ya gotta breathe boss.” Her eyes were still glazed over. “Like this, see?” He breathed in and out deeply without taking his eyes off of her. “In…out.” 

Maxx’s breathing began to slow. She blinked hard as his face came into focus. The Overboss’ entire body shook as the adrenaline wore off. Unbidden tears drizzled down her face. She couldn’t speak. 

“You back from that little vacation yet?” He was harsher than he’d meant to be. 

She nodded slowly and pulled her face from his grasp. 

“I thought you said you got ‘em all. I mean what happened back there?” His foot was firmly entrenched in his mouth. 

Maxx didn’t answer and turned away from him. She planted her chin against her knees. It was her fault she’d gotten them chased up a tree. There was no telling where the monstrosity had ambled off too. No telling if or when it would return. 

“Maxx- er, boss,” He rested his hand on her shoulder, “um, are you- are you ok?” 

She shoved his hand off of her with a mumbled response. 

“Take that as a yes.” 

The two sat in silence for long time, listening for the Gatorclaw. Mason’s stomach broke the quiet with a rolling gurgle. Wordlessly, Maxx dug in her pocket and shoved it at his face. 

“The hell is this?” He sniffed at it suspiciously.

“Just eat it.”

“I ain’t eatin’ nothing if I don’t know what it is.” He hated to admit that it smelled pretty good. His stomach gave another growl. 

“Its jerky. Friend’a mine showed me how to make it.” 

“Oh.” He tore into the meat, chewing loudly. “S’good.” She nodded.

“You should eat some too, boss.”

“I’m good." 

“No, you’re not.” Mason clapped his hands off. 

“I said I’m good.” There was a finality to her voice. He wasn’t buying it. 

“You think I didn’t see what happened out there? You froze. Nearly got us both killed- you’re not ‘good’.” 

She pulled the jacket collar up with a shiver. There was no energy left in her for a fight.

_Must be serious if she ain’t even gonna try to shut me up._

He watched her eyelids sag. 

 _She’s exhausted._  

“Boss?” He cocked the shotgun. “I’ll take first watch.” 

Maxx reached for the backpack and settled against it. The moon was rising, slowly illuminating the park. She was asleep long before it climbed overhead.

*** 

It was hours later when the Overboss roused. There was something big and warm next to her. The brief moment between sleep and waking found her at peace. Mason’s well-muscled arm was heavy as she lifted it from around her waist. She didn’t get the chance to overthink it. Fresh terror flooded her guts. The slight movement had caught the monster’s attention. Her limbs were leaden as she watched it advance.

Mason was ripped from sleep by the resounding roar. Throwing himself sideways, he reached for the gun. He took aim and squeezed the trigger. Nothing. The Gatorclaw advanced in slow motion. Its claws grazed the iron bars and nearly clipped his foot. 

The Alpha busied himself with troubleshooting the weapon. Maxx’s face contorted. She forced the revolver into her palm and sighted down the barrel. The first bullet connected solidly above the creature’s brow. The second grazed the top of its skull. The third and forth found their marks and the Gatorclaw’s eye exploded. The gigantic form crashed forward, gradually sliding to the ground. 

She breathed heavily and sat back, holstering the weapon. 

Mason chucked the shotgun aside and watched her. The moonlight cast a soft glow on her form Her jaw was set defiantly. Her hair fell over her face. The adrenaline coursed through her. The Overboss turned and looked him over hungrily. An impulse hit them both at once. 

The impact of their mouths was violent. Both fed on the pain. His hands stripped the jacket from her shoulders as she ripped the filthy tank top over his head. His mouth trailed down her neck as he worked the buckles around her waist. The pack master was impatient, shoving his hand beneath the waistband and down her front. Her breath was heavy in his ear and she twisted her body to his touch. The Overboss’ hands unfastened the buttons to give him better access. 

Mason growled in the back of his throat. She was so wet. His cock throbbed, desperate for her touch. The chill of her hands sliding down his waistband drove him mad. Strong hands ripped the jeans from her body. She laid back as he hovered over her. His teeth shone dangerously in the moonlight as he slid his fingers down, massaging her clit with his thumb. 

She writhed under him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling his mouth back to her. He slipped a digit inside her. Two digits. His breath was hot as he bit the base of her neck.

“Fuck me.” The Boss wasn’t begging. She was ordering. 

Mason shuddered at the words and dropped his pants past his knees. The pack master slid her easily towards him, spreading her legs. The soft fur around her vagina framed his member as he plunged inside her. 

Maxx bit her lip and her cheeks flushed. After several thrusts, she felt his hands slide under the small of her back. He lifted her in one swift motion and she wrapped her legs around him. He pawed under her shirt. Mason teased at her nipples and she arched her back in response. 

The urgency was building between both of them. He pushed into her. She pushed back. 

“Harder.” The husky whisper in his ear almost undid him. He was so close… 

Mason cried out as he came, the thrusts slowing. It was enough for the Overboss who silenced her moans with his mouth. They uncoupled, panting like wild animals. 

Maxx stood up slowly and pulled the jeans to her waist. Mason mimicked her. Both stared at the ground for a long moment as reality caught up with them. The bite marks covering the bottom of her neck stung. She hated the fact that part of her enjoyed it.

She should have known better. It usually happened like this. Extreme stress, adrenaline, and fear would wind her up. She would spring into the arms of a consensual stranger, and wind herself back down. It always helped to blow off steam and get her back into the right headspace. It was rarely with people she’d have to see again. 

The pack master sighed quietly. It had been a long time since he’d slept with anyone in any respect. Any of the gang members in Nuka World were problematic at best. 

 _Can’t sleep with pack girls- power struggle. Disciples would probably slice your dick off, and Operators…_  

He didn’t finish the thought. 

“You know this isn’t happening again.” The buckles jingled at her waist.

“Yeah.” The shirt slid over his muscled chest, damp with sweat in the chilly air. 

She pulled the jacket on and secured the revolver. “Good.” 

“Thanks.” 

Maxx looked at him oddly. “Are you seriously thanking me for sex?”

“Oh- no, no that was for you know,” he mimed a shot to the head, “the big lizard.”

“Just means we’re even again.” She worked more jerky out of her pocket, proffering some to him with a questioning glance.

Mason swiped it and gnawed fervently. They chewed in silence for a time. His voice broke into the quiet.

“What’s the plan, boss?”

She swallowed a bite and stared off into the distance. “Clear the park.” 

He left a long pause. “Are you sure you can handle the-” 

Maxx snapped in annoyance. “I can handle it.” She glanced at him, feeling a shock of heat in her face. He really was attractive. Keeping him at arm’s length had just put it out of her mind. 

“What?” 

She blinked at him. “What?” 

“Nothin’, you were staring at me. Thought you wanted something.”

Footsteps approached from below. The man’s voice broke through the darkness.

“Ah! New friends for Cito!”

Both of their heads shot up at the voice below. They exchanged glances, staring in tandem at the man in the loincloth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope it was worth the wait! I didn't tag this specific chapter as NSFW because I didn't want to spoil it, but please let me know if this is something you think is necessary.
> 
> Feel free to leave Kudos or comments- they keep me goin'


	13. Chapter 13

“Cito see you kill Monster. You friend?” Cito was smiling like a fool. 

Maxx groaned and spoke under her breath. “Oh god. Let me guess, you were raised by apes.” 

The wild man continued. “You two kill Monster alone. Monster strong but you stronger. Cito happy you kill Monster. Monster hurt Cito and Cito family.” He was distressed. 

Mason piped up. “What the hell are those things? Some kinda Deathclaw?” 

“Death…Claw? Cito not know. Only know ‘death’ bad and Monster bad." 

“I have a bad feeling you’re going to ask us to kill more.” Maxx stood with her hands on her hips.

“You good guesser!” He was smiling and nodding. “Cito kill Monster. New Monster come. Cito kill Monster again. New Monster come again.” He smashed a fist into his palm. “Monsters not stop. Help Cito fight Monsters?” 

There was something very childlike about him. Before Maxx could stop herself, she was agreeing. “Yeah.” She nodded. “Yeah, we’ll help you.” Mason made a noise behind her. She silenced him with an elbow to the ribs.

_He’s at least an extra pair of hands…_  

“Cito happy you help. New friend follow Cito. Cito show you thing. Thing to help kill Monsters.” Without so much as a backward glance, Cito was running towards their destination. 

The Overboss and the Pack master looked at each other and shrugged. 

“After you, _boss_.” 

She was already jogging. 

*** 

The three of them had spent the morning talking. The wildman had told them everything about his life with the gorillas. His parents had been killed when he was very young, and he wandered into the zoo. The gorillas had taken him in. 

The Monsters had begun to terrorize his unique family and they’d retreated to the gorilla enclosure. Cito was concerned about the lack of food and water. It seemed the number of Gatorclaws had recently exploded. 

_You can do this. There’s three of you now. You’re not alone. And Cito is probably as strong as he is dumb._  

She rested her forehead in her hand with a snort. The holotape or “shiny thing” as Cito called it, was the journal of an old scientist-turned-ghoul. Doctor McDermot, the “Wrinkly Man” in his infinite wisdom had decided not only to _create_ the Gatorclaws, but to _clone_ them as well. 

_Gatorclaws. Fucking Gatorclaws, he called them. And that machine- wherever it is- is still making them._

A cold fear knotted in her guts, making her shiver despite the heat. 

Cito’s words dragged her from the inner monologue. “Cito can help. Cito remember something. Cito see Wrinkly Man come from Big Triangle House long time ago.” He smiled, pleased with himself. “Go to Big Triangle House. Find clo-ning fa-cil-ity. Stop Monsters.” His voice was resolute. “Cito come with new friends. Cito help!” 

Maxx tapped her chin. Her eyes followed the movement of the gorillas around the room. “Can you get your family to help us?” 

Cito gestured towards the large male gorilla closest to him. “Chris big and strong. Chris help new friends and Cito.” He made a series of grunts at the ape. Surprisingly, it seemed to understand and loped ahead of them towards the door. 

Mason let out a low whistle behind them. “Well I’ll be damned.” 

The short jaunt from the Gorilla House to the Big Triangle Building was clear of Gatorclaws. She’d managed to find the rifle when they passed back through the abandoned cage. Maxx breathed a deep sigh of relief. She turned to her companions and spoke slowly and quietly. 

“We are going to take this slow. You follow _my_ lead.” She glanced up at Mason. “No charging in, no big loud noises.” She turned to Cito. “Understand?” 

He nodded slowly, “Cito tell Chris.” Another series of grunts, and the rag-tag group was ready to move. 

The Overboss crouched with a tight grip on the rifle. Her hand shook, finding its way to the door handle. She took a moment to breathe in and out slowly and pushed the door. There was a small groan of protest as it swung open. 

They all managed to tiptoe in. Maxx motioned them around the perimeter and took the central position. She used the banister to steady the rifle. The scope cut through the dim and she froze. Mason watched her closely, holding his shotgun at the ready.

“Monster! Cito see Monster!” He was practically jumping up and down.

Mason swore as the Gatorclaw reared up and stomped towards them. 

“Get down!” The pin jingled to the floor. The grenade bounced down the narrow hallway and under the oversized reptile. 

The explosion was blinding. It left trails across her vision as the beast roared in pain. The Monster gave a pathetic whine and hit the floor with a heavy thud. 

“Cito! What did I say?!” Her gaze was terrifying. The wildman was cowed and looked up sheepishly. 

“Cito sorry. Cito just want protect new friends.” 

She rubbed at her temples with a sigh, her voice softer. “Yes, I know. But let’s not do that again, ok?” 

Mason chuckled under his breath. He stopped at her death glare. 

The pack master shrugged. “What? It was funny.” 

The Overboss jabbed a finger at him. “You shut the hell up.” 

“New friends funny. Cito like.” 

Maxx hopped over the banister and landed in a crouch. “We don’t have time for jokes right now. Search the building.” She stepped forward cautiously. Dust motes floated through the thin arcs of sunlight. The remains of the Gatorclaw were strewn about and she had to step over them to press farther into the building. 

At the end of the wide hallway she spotted an old terminal next to a door. 

_Bingo._  

Her face fell as she watched the letters crawl across the screen. The Wrinkly Man had been right-They needed a passcode to get in. 

*** 

_Are you fucking kidding me?_  

Maxx’s knees shook as the trio approached the abandoned roller coaster site. Mason kept shooting concerned glances her way and it was beginning to get irritating. 

She hissed at him through gritted teeth. “Can I talk to you for a minute?” She turned to Cito with a sweet voice. “We’ll be right back.” 

Mason followed her stomping feet with an eye roll. “Lead the way, _boss_.” 

Maxx stopped abruptly and leaned against the cement wall. Her arms were crossed firmly over her chest. 

“Listen, boss-“ 

“No, _you_ listen. I don’t need you constantly looking over your shoulder. I can take care of myself. I’m fine.” 

The pack master leaned over her, resting a palm against the wall. “I ain’t lookin’ for _your_ sake. You freeze and we’re gonna get killed out there.” He tugged her hand away from her elbow unexpectedly. 

“Just what the hell are you doing?” Her face was suddenly hot. 

“Checking to see how bad your hands are shakin’.” He paused, meeting her gaze. “You’re bad at bluffing, _boss._ ” He dropped her hand carelessly and pushed off the wall. “You better keep it together.” 

She was too angry to think of a comeback. 

Maxx glared at his back. “You two stay here. I’m going to climb that scaffolding to get a better look at what we’re dealing with.” 

Mason stopped mid-step. By the time he’d turned around, she was already approaching the metal structure. 

The Overboss was comfortable being up high and observing through the scope. The area set aside for the rollercoaster was formidable. There appeared to be several scaffolding stations, some trailers, and the ancient metal serpent. Somewhere in all of the garbage was Dr. Hein’s passcode.

_If we’re lucky enough to find the fucking thing._  

The whole interaction with Mason had put her in a bad mood. She scowled through the lens, swinging the gun in every direction. 

_Not letting my guard down. Not this time._  

There was no movement across the field, and Maxx turned her attention to the other prefabricated islands. 

_I’d be able to stay up high and shoot anything that moves._

She lowered the rifle, letting her brain do the math. The towers were all fairly close to one another. Without a lot of ground to cover in between, sprinting would be easy. There was very little risk. She was pleased with herself and shouldered the gun.

_I don’t need either of those idiots. I can do this myself. If it’s anywhere, that code’ll be in one of those trailers._

Maxx gritted her teeth and ran from one tower to the next in quick succession. There were no sounds. No sign of movement. She skittered up the wooden ramp and climbed a safe distance upward. Once again, the barrel hugged her eye socket as she probed the ground. 

_No sign of any Gatorclaws._

A wave of relief swept over her. The trailers were almost directly below.

_Finally- something easy._  

Even the tough lock on the door couldn’t spoil the mood. The tumbler finally clicked and the door slid open. A skeleton in a lab coat lay at her feet. 

_Is it him?_  

She dug around in the dead man’s pockets, turning up empty. 

_Shit_. 

Maxx sighed in frustration and got to her feet. A sound in the distance filled her with an icy terror. She stayed low and hazarded a peek out the door. The giant lizard was sniffing at the air several yards away. With a sharp intake of air she slid the door closed, leaving a small opening for the barrel of the rifle. Mason’s smug words echoed in her head. _“You’re bad at bluffing,_ boss _.”_

_C’mon you fucker. I’ve got what you’re looking for right here…_  

She steadied the rifle and lined up the shot. All of the frustration and fear poured out of her and into her trigger finger. There was no hesitation. Maxx squeezed the trigger once, twice. Even after the beast crumbled she continued to fill it with lead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I am running out of chapters that I am ahead. Updates might slow down depending on how much time/energy I have for writing. I have no plans of stopping! Please continue to leave me comments. I enjoy the side conversations :)


	14. Chapter 14

Maxx awoke to the sound of rain beating at the door. There was a warm pile of bodies around her. All of them slept soundly.

_I didn’t realize gorillas snored…_

She stretched, untangling herself from the mass. The Overboss swung a jacket over her shoulders. The pack of cigarettes in the pocket was empty, save one. She curled up on a corner bench, watching the sleeping heap writhe. 

“Couldn’t sleep?” 

The smile fell from her face. 

Mason dropped his oversized frame next to her and spread his arms across the backrest. Maxx blew a cloud of smoke his direction.

 “Early riser. Worms and all that.” She inhaled and exhaled letting the plume drift towards him. 

“You get that password? Didn’t say much heading back yesterday.” 

Maxx turned to look at him. His face was…clean. “Didn’t realize there was a person under all that paint.” She snuffed the cigarette with her foot. “And yeah, I got it.”

“You got a plan?” He was genuinely curious. 

“Nah, I thought we’d just run in, guns blazing. Its more fun that way.”

“Still pissed off after yesterday, huh?” He smirked. “Hit too close to home?” 

“You know I could very easily just hand this place over to the Disciples. They could make a new gauntlet out of that giant maze.” She smiled sweetly. “So I would be very careful what you say to me moving forward.” 

“Yeah you could, but you won’t.” He folded his arms. 

“If these are more thinly veiled threats- it’s too early.” Maxx yawned, stretching her arms wide. 

Thunder rumbled outside and Mason jumped slightly. 

She laughed. “What, you afraid of a little thunderstorm?” 

The pack master glared. 

She let the silence hang in the air. “My plan is to head back to that terminal. I have no idea what’s waiting behind that door.” Maxx blew her bangs out of her face. “But I’m going to find out.” 

They sat quietly for a long while. Thunder echoed in the empty space while the rain pounded the roof. It lulled them both into a sleepy trance. Maxx’s eyelids drooped. Her body slumped towards him and she began to snore softly. His thigh became a pillow and she rested an arm over his leg. 

Mason sat silently as she slept. He closed his eyes and willed himself to sleep. He tried in vain not to think about the woman sleeping in his lap. As he drifted off, he let a hand rest on her back. Then everything went dark again.

*** 

It was still raining when he was startled awake by a quickly fading dream. Mason blinked, rubbing at his eyes. Two things dawned on him: First, he’d fallen asleep with the Overboss in his lap. Second, she was nowhere to be seen. 

The mass of Cito and his kin seemed to be snoring in unison. Maxx’s things were missing and it left a sinking feeling in his guts. 

_She went alone._

He crossed the room and grabbed his gun. Her impulsiveness was becoming annoying. The pack master ducked into the downpour and marched himself towards the Big Triangle. 

Mason slicked his dripping hair back and paused to listen for movement. Nothing. He stomped resolutely towards the door, frowning all the way.

_Tryin’ to get herself killed is what she’s doing_. 

He peered through the open metal door and held the shotgun at the ready. The sound of gunfire met his ears and he charged towards the commotion. The Gatorclaw slumped forward. A puddle of crimson leaked from beneath it, kissing at Maxx’s boots. 

Mason’s foot nudged an empty bottle, displaced in the fight. The bullet narrowly missed his head. 

“Hey! What the fuck, boss?!” His face was pale. 

“Maybe don’t sneak up on me!?” Maxx’s face was flushed and she breathed heavily. “What the hell are you even doing here?” 

“Protecting my investment. Guess I need to protect myself too.” 

She rolled her eyes, holstering the gun. “I don’t need your help.” She wiped her brow on the back of her hand, “Like I said, I’m just checking this place out.” 

Mason kicked at the dead beast. “No help needed. Got it.” 

She ignored him and made her way around the office space. Desk drawers, filing cabinets, the spaces beneath the furniture- they were all fair game. He became her shadow, following along and splitting up the search duties. 

“Huh.” The Overboss was holding a holotape. “Let’s see what you’ve got for me.” 

The voice on the tape was scratchy and slow. Doctor McDermott was reflecting on his time after the war, and his use of the replicator. She was surprised to learn that he’d used it practically to create food for himself. It was unfortunate that he’d decided to play god instead. It was the exact kind of thinking that had pulled the world into war in the first place.

Maxx stared down at the Pip Boy screen, ruminating. There would always be a part of her that ached for what life could have been. What it was supposed to have been.

“Boss?” Mason was waving a hand in her face.

“Hmm?” She pushed his palm away with a finger. Her gaze was still distant. “I think we should keep going. See where those doors lead.” Maxx held up a finger. “But there’s one caveat.”

“One _what_?”

“One _catch_.” She was annoyed.

“Oh. Well, what?” 

“We do this my way- low and slow.” The Overboss was staring at the door. She gripped the revolver reflexively and turned back to him. “You think you can handle that?” 

He rolled his eyes. “You know I’ve been hunting for years, right? That I run the Zoo? Take care of an entire group of people? Any of this ringin’ a bell?” The offense was palpable as he took a step towards her. “You know what it takes to be Alpha? ‘Cause I don’t think you got it.” Mason hovered over her with his arms crossed. 

“Does it involve me having to piss on something?” Maxx wasn’t in the mood for his particular brand of irritating.

He chuckled. “Yeah, sometimes.” 

She worked a canteen from her belt. “Just let me know where to mark.” The Overboss tipped the container, drinking deep. She pressed it towards him. “Don’t get dehydrated.” 

***

Maxx lead the way, peeking around the corner and listening. The water was up past her knees. Wading slowly across the flooded room was nerve racking for both of them. Echoes made it hard to hear where sounds were coming from. The lack of suspicious noises was a small relief.

She held up a hand for him to pause and leaned her head farther out into the main chamber. There was no movement as she noticed a bright red console across the space. He collided with the back of her and was met with an elbow to the ribs.

“Shh.” 

Mason rubbed at his side. “C’mon, there’s nothin’ down here but water.” 

“Just shut up and cover me. There’s a terminal up ahead and I want to check it out.” She turned to glare at him. 

“Alright, alright. I got it, _boss_.” He pulled the combat shotgun off of his back with a smirk. 

Maxx moved as quickly as she could. As she made it to the center of the room, something moved in her peripheral vision. She turned her head slowly and focused on the Gatorclaw. It hadn’t noticed either of them yet and was a good distance away, prowling a room at the top of a short set of stairs. 

Mason watched her body language. His body stiffened as she turned to stare at something at the top of the stairs. He moved towards her, walking sideways with the gun at the ready. 

Neither of them dared speak. She met his eyes with fear. He was sure the tremors shaking her hand weren’t his imagination. The Overboss motioned him over, pointing beyond the wired mesh. They’d have to wait to get a clear shot. Slowly but surely the two of them moved diagonally, both ready to take the monster down. 

The Gatorclaw was taking its time, pausing to sniff and paw at random junk. Maxx jumped as the pack master brushed the back of her arm. His voice was low and quiet in her ear. 

“We should make some noise. Draw it out.” She shook her head and his voice was in her ear again. “Trust me.” 

Maxx nodded slowly, fighting the urge to turn and run. Mason moved in front of her and whistled through his fingers. It was enough to grab the beast’s attention. The Gatorclaw turned slowly and stalked towards the stairs. 

Maxx sidestepped and raised the gun, squinting down the barrel. They squeezed the triggers in unison and watched the corpse tumble down the stairs. She turned to smile at him and froze. The new beast was very much alive and the largest either of them had seen. Its albino features were more than unsettling. She had little time to think on them as the creature leapt forward. Mason was knocked backward and lost his balance. 

Maxx had managed to jump out of the way. She watched in horror as the reptile swept the pack master up like a rag doll and slammed him into the floor with a sick splash. Long white claws pinned him under the water. She watched air bubbles explode upwards as the beast squeezed the life out of him. It pulled him gasping from the water only to plunge him back under. 

_It’s going to kill him._  

Without another thought she jammed the revolver into the holster and charged forward into the monster’s chest. She slammed into it, knocking the wind from her lungs. The impact sent her sprawling backwards and knocked the Gatorclaw off balance. Both sets of claws sailed through the air and it unleashed a savage roar. 

Adrenaline pumped through her veins as she dragged Mason’s limp form as far from the recovering creature as she could manage. He was solid and heavy. The floor was slick under her waterlogged boots. Small waves sloshed around the two bodies as she ambled backwards. 

_C’mon c’mon c’mon!_  

The beast righted itself and charged at her. There was no way out. Maxx’s eyes went wide in fear. She could smell the beast’s acrid breath. Angry jaws snapped less than a foot from her face. She hunched over the pack master protectively, a last ditch attempt to save him. 

A brilliant blur of bronze and black sailed between the Overboss and the Gatorclaw. The sledgehammer crashed into the monster’s face. A pained roar filled the space and the creature was stalking towards the wild man. Cito gripped the weapon tightly and grit his teeth. He unleashed all of his strength on the beast. The two danced across the flooded landscape trading blows. 

Maxx dragged Mason to the console and propped him up. She knelt next to him and shook his shoulders. 

“Mason?” She shook harder. “Mason, wake up-” Her heart was in her throat. “C’mon you sonofabitch wake up!” She slapped his cheek. Nothing. 

The Overboss braced herself, doing the best to lift with her knees. She managed to drape him over a flat portion of the electronics and started chest compressions, pausing only to blow air into his lungs. 

“Come. On. You. Piece. Of. Shit.” Sweat beaded on her forehead as she pumped. There was still no response. She felt tears welling up and draining silently down her face. “You think you’re stubborn?” She was putting her whole body weight into the compressions. “No, no _I_ am stubborn. _You_ just need to wake up.” Maxx took his face in both hands and touched foreheads. Her voice was soft. “Please.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday! It has been slow going for me working on the story, but I have been really busy this week. Today I spent the entire morning at the dentist (bleehhhhh). Not gonna lie, comments tend to keep me motivated. Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed the drama :)


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright kiddies. Since you've all been so good... Happy Sunday. Here's Chapter 15 ;)

His body stirred. She pulled herself up, watching his chest begin to rise. Maxx tilted the ginger’s head to the side just in time for him to throw up a shocking amount of water. A strong hand gripped her shoulder for balance as he coughed and sputtered. Mason groaned and rolled his head to look at her. His eyes traced the wet streaks running down her face with confusion.

There was a loud boom behind them and the Overboss threw her body over the pack master again. A large wave smacked against her legs and she twisted around to find Cito hovering over the bleached corpse of the Gatorclaw. 

“Cito no like Monster hurting new friends. Cito help!” He grinned, easily shouldering the sledgehammer. “New friends ok?” 

It took her a minute to find her voice. “Yeah. Y-yeah, we’re ok.” Pain bloomed in her shoulder. She’d managed to wrench it again tackling the Gatorclaw. Hauling the Mason’s giant frame across the room hadn’t helped either. 

“Mason I- Are you? Uh…” She paused to get her thoughts straight. “How are you?” 

He answered with a groan and tried to sit up. “I’ll be alright.” Mason tilted his head to study her face. Had she been crying? 

_What the hell happened?_

He was trying to make sense of it all. 

 _The Gatorclaw. Couldn’t breathe. Blacked out._  

His brain was still fuzzy and every breath was painful. His mouth tasted like the bottom of a 200-year-old dumpster, and his skin was sticky from the filthy water. 

“Hey boss?” Mason grunted the words out. “Stimpak?” He peeled his shirt up to reveal a mass of angry bruises. 

Maxx was taken aback at the sight of the blue-purple and pawed at a leather belt pouch. Her hands were still shaky and she fumbled. 

“This is going to sting.” The Overboss looked uncomfortable. “You ready?” 

“Just stick me with the damn-” his face twisted with a cry. “Jesus, fuck! Agh!” The deep inhale was painful.

 Maxx winced slightly and produced a second syringe filled with violet. “For the pain.” 

“Boss I don’t need-” he grimaced as she stuck him in the arm. A warm sensation spread from the injection site, and he was visibly relaxed within minutes. 

Cito had watched quietly, mesmerized by the strange objects. He might’ve been raised by gorillas, but at least he knew to stay out of the way. 

“Cito never see these thing.” He gestured to the discarded drugs. “They make friends strong?” 

She nodded, running a hand through her damp hair. “They’ll make him feel much better.” Maxx turned back to Mason and further assessed the damage. It wasn’t good. “Cito?” 

“What you need?” 

“I need you to carry him back to the room with all of the computer desks. Can you do that?” 

Cito shook his head crossing to the injured man. “Cito strong. Cito take you to com-pu-ter room.” He grinned down at the pack master and scooped him up. The wild man was surprisingly gentle. 

Mason was only half awake. He made noises of discomfort but mostly lay still. His breathing was slow and heavy. Maxx lead the way back to the room and hastily cleared the tabletops. 

“Put him down there.” The Overboss worked the jacket from her shoulders. She bundled it up as a makeshift pillow, sliding it gingerly under his head. He felt clammy to the touch as she softly stroked his forehead with a thumb. “You’re gonna be ok. We’ll come right back for you.” 

He reached up and cupped her cheek. His voice had a dreamy quality to it. “Be safe.” 

Maxx nodded, surprised at the gesture. She took his hand and placed it on his chest with a light squeeze. Her heart hammered in her chest as she took a step back. “Ok.”

***

Maxx had officially shut down the replicator. She put several .44 sized holes in the console to ensure its permanent deactivation. 

“Now we just need to sweep the rest of the facility- make sure there are no more Monsters.” 

Cito nodded in agreement and tightened his grip on the sledge. “Cito help destroy Monsters. Cito keep family and new friends safe.” 

The Overboss had swapped the pistol for Mason’s combat shotgun. The Gatorclaws were getting put down for good. They moved towards the last corridor and room of the building. The flooding was still past her knees and she had to march to get through the filthy water. She held up a hand. 

“Do you hear that?” 

Cito’s whisper was loud. “Cito hear strange noise ahead. Probably Monster.” He nodded resolutely. “We kill Monster. Keep tall man safe.” 

She crept forward, catching the green end of the tail stalking away from them. Maxx was beyond fear. The anger was hot and flooded her veins. The monsters had terrorized enough people. She was hell bent on driving them into extinction. 

The room was small and left little room for the beast to get away. They had it cornered. Maxx met Cito’s gaze and nodded slowly. Both rounded the corner at once. The Overboss fired two shots and stepped back to let Cito smash it in the face with his sledgehammer. 

It didn’t take long for the last Gatorclaw to be face down in the water. Maxx breathed a deep sigh of relief, feeling the huge weight lifted from her shoulders. Her heart rate finally started to stabilize and she loosened her grip on the gun. Her hands and shoulder ached. There was a nagging worry in the back of her mind. 

 _Is he going to be ok?_  

“Cito go with you to help tall man friend.” He smiled, shouldering the oversized hammer. 

She nodded and started forward. “Thank you Cito. We would be dead if you hadn’t jumped in and helped with the Monsters.”

“Cito happy. No more Monsters in Big Triangle Building.”

“Now we just have to find the Monsters still roaming the park.” She swallowed uncomfortably. “Cito- you know the park really well right?” 

“Of course Cito know Cito’s home.” 

“Good, because I need you to find some stuff for me. To take care of tall man- er, Mason.” 

“Cito good at finding things. What is new friend looking for?” 

Maxx glanced around the room and spotted one. “These things here- these white boxes on the walls?” 

He grunted. 

“I need all of them that you can find. They have medicine for Mason. To help him get better.”

“Cito will find all of the boxes!” he was practically jumping with excitement.

“I guess I’ll see you back here when you find them?” He grinned and waved a hand, disappearing through the next set of doors.

_Ok then…_

She was suddenly anxious at the thought of pressing through the doors and hesitated. 

_What are you waiting for?_

The Overboss raised her hand slowly and pushed the door open.

She moved quietly through the room until she was standing next to him. Mason seemed to be sleeping. His skin was pale and filthy. His ribs were probably fractured at the very least. He had minor scrapes and bruises all over. Strands of red-orange hair stuck to his forehead. The Overboss swept them back with a finger and studied his face.

“That you boss?” the pack master squinted up at her and shielded his eyes.

“Yeah. Yeah, its me.” She leaned over him to block the light. “How are you feeling?”

“Been better, you?” There was concern in the question. He looked her over and tapped at his brow. “That hurt?”

Her features twisted as she felt at the bump. It was tender. “Didn’t even know it was there.” She chuckled. “Still better off than you. Let me see.”

“Boss I don’t need no doctor. I’m fine.” 

She was already tugging the tank top up. “Good thing I’m not a doctor then, huh?” The Stimpak bit into his chest and he groaned in protest. 

“Fuck, boss!” He cradled his middle. 

“Had to do it.” Maxx moved his hand out of the way to pull the shirt back down. She felt the gentle pressure of his hand wrapping around hers. 

“Look, if you wanted to admire the goods you just had to ask.” Mason winced as he chuckled. 

She slipped her hand out of his and stood up. “You need water. I’m going to see what I can find.” 

“Don’t know if I can handle any more water.” His words fell flat as she disappeared through the door again. He grunted and tried in vain to get comfortable. His mind ruminated on the gesture. It was stupid, really. He knew it. 

***

Maxx slid down the wall and folded her arms over her knees. The stress and anxiety of the entire ordeal had finally bubbled to the top. Her whole body shook as she sobbed quietly.

_What’s going on? What am I doing?_

The image of the giant lizard slamming him into the water played behind her eyes on repeat. She winced and touched the swollen mass over her eyebrow. 

 _Why did you do that?_  

The pallor and stillness of his face afterward. 

 _When I thought he was…_  

She dug her palms into her eyes angrily. His voice had been soothing in her ear just before it all, calming her frayed nerves. He’d stepped between her and the Monster. 

 _Why?_  

Her shoulder throbbed. She glanced at it with a sigh and rolled it slowly. 

 _There aren’t enough Stims for both of us. Hopefully Cito finds something useful._  

Maxx pushed herself heavily from the wall. She found an empty Nuka bottle, giving it a thorough rinse before filling it and the canteen. How the water fountain still functioned was beyond her. She was just thankful it did.

The Overboss made her way back to the abandoned office slowly. Her feet made wet sucking noises inside the boots. The door whined open and she found Mason sitting up on the table propped against a wall. He turned his head slowly and greeted her with a small smile.

“What are you doing sitting up?” She shook the bottle as she scolded him. “You shouldn’t be up with your ribs-” 

“I’ve had worse, and I don’t need a mommy.” He motioned for the bottle and gripped it awkwardly when she shoved it at him. The pack master filled his mouth with water and gargled, swishing and spitting the liquid onto the floor. 

“Fine.” Maxx swiped up her jacket and stalked across the room. Her shoulder throbbed in protest and she bit her lip to keep from making noise. She draped the leather around her shoulders and sank to the floor. The wall was cool against her back. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Everything hurt. 

Mason’s voice was low and quiet. “I’m sorry for being such an asshole.” He paused, trying to find the words. “Truth is I’d be dead if not for that hard head of yours. I owe you.” 

She ignored him and kept her eyes closed. 

“I intend to make good on that, alright?” He stared her direction, wishing she would answer. 

Maxx squinted an eye at him. “Guess we’ll see.” 

The room was silent save the sounds of him drinking. The clink of the glass echoed through the dimly lit room. Mason cleared his throat. His mouth didn’t taste like garbage anymore and for that he was thankful. He didn’t want to think about how badly he needed a shower and a clean set of clothes. 

“Boss?” His voice was louder than he aimed for. 

“What?” Her eyes were still closed and she was breathing slowly. 

“D’you think- I mean- Could you get me some more water?” He was trying. 

Maxx responded with an exasperated sigh. “Thought you didn’t need a mommy.” She was already pushing herself up. The pain in her shoulder was getting worse _._  

She marched towards him, cradling her arm against her chest. 

“Give it here.” She motioned for the bottle. 

He reached out and took her hand, giving her a gentle tug towards him. 

“What?” She shot him a look. 

“Nothin’. Just wanted a better look at that knot on your forehead.” He motioned her forward. She bent towards him and studied his face as he looked her over. It was dirty. Stubble covered what was usually clean-shaven. His mustache was mussed She felt like she was seeing the real Mason, not the ringmaster of the Pack circus. 

“Lookin’ pretty nasty.” He was tilting her head to get a different angle. 

“You look pretty awful yourself.” She reached up to pull his hand away. He held it and tugged her closer. 

“Yeah?” He stared into her eyes, refusing to break contact.

“Yeah.” Their faces inched towards each other. He closed the gap, leaning up and to kiss her.

She closed her eyes. His lips were surprisingly soft. The kiss was a much different experience than their previous encounter. He ran a hand through her hair and tucked it behind her ear. Both were tender with each other. She cupped his jaw, circling her thumb over the ginger stubble. His mustache was wiry against her lips. He found himself smiling between lip locks.

Maxx pulled away slowly, letting the pack master swim back into focus. “Mason I-” He silenced her with another kiss. His hand drifted to the small of her back, urging her forward. There was growing electricity between the two.

She pulled away and took a full step back. “Mason.” There was a heaviness in her chest. “I can’t.”

“Yeah, I know.” He noted the look of surprise on her face. “You’re the Overboss.” His smile was somber.

“Yeah.” She sighed. “I’m the Overboss.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed it. Comments make my life, so feel free! You can also hit me up on tumblr @biggreenfeet or check out my raider side blog @theraiderradiostation


	16. Chapter 16

It had taken Maxx and Cito several days to clear the rest of the park. The old office in the welcome center had become the teams’ home base. The wildman had managed to find quite a few first aid supplies and the Overboss had scrounged together some of the park’s souvenir outfits. They had also been able to rig up a makeshift shower in one of the bathrooms using an old hose and a bucket. The water was cold, but it was better than nothing. 

Mason was finally moving around normally. She had laughed at the look of him in tourist attire. It was strange seeing him in “normal” clothes. Outside of that, they had both become somewhat awkward around each other. They were careful not to get too close and gave one another a wide berth. She found herself lonelier for it.

Maxx was pulling her boots on when he hovered behind her. 

“I’m going with you.” 

“You’re funny.” She tugged at the laces without turning around. 

“Ain’t jokin’, _boss_.” He stepped in front of her and stared her down. “You and jungle boy have been dealin’ with all of this without me. If this is my turf, I’m gonna get it taken care of.” 

She rolled her eyes. “Whatever you want. You get hurt, and that’s on you.” Maxx got to her feet, brushing dirt off of the back of her jeans. 

“Yeah, yeah. I got it. I’m feelin’ good.” He nodded with a grin. 

“Well that’s good then.” She patted at his middle and watched him wince. 

“God damnit!” his face was turning red. 

“Can’t bullshit a bullshitter, Mason.” The Overboss chuckled. 

He grunted and seethed silently for a moment. “I’m goin’ and that’s it.”

 “Not like I can stop you.” Maxx shrugged on the jacket and few pieces of armor she had. “Lucky for you I’m bringing lots of Stimpaks.” 

She could feel him glaring into the back of her head. 

***

Cito was waiting for the pair in the lobby of the building. He was grinning ear-to-ear, sledgehammer in tow. 

“Cito happy Mason feeling better!” He moved to hug the Alpha.

 Maxx stepped between them. “He’s not quite ready for hugs yet, Cito.”

 The wild man frowned. “Ok, Boss.” He had picked up the word from Mason. The Overboss was certain he’d already forgotten her actual name. 

“So Cito and I are pretty sure we’re down to the last of the Gatorclaws.” A shiver ran up her spine at the mention of them. “We’ve been able to hear something moving around in the maze.” 

Mason nodded and glanced in the direction of the attraction. “What’s the plan? We gonna cut it off in there?” 

Maxx shook her head. “No. Cito’s gonna give me a boost to get on top of the walls.” 

His heart dropped at her words. “You’re gonna take it out alone?” 

“Shouldn’t be a problem.” She pulled loose strands of hair behind an ear. “Why? You worried about me?” 

“You die and I gotta sit around and get used to some other asshole.” He shrugged

“Touching sentiment.” Maxx turned to Cito. “You ready?” 

“Cito ready to kill Monster.” He was wearing his serious face. 

“Well, let’s do this.” She turned and led the way. There was a bench butted up against one of the exterior walls. The three of them could hear the sounds of a large animal prowling inside. Maxx stared up, eyes drifting to the tree house above. Part of her was excited to get up there. 

_Bet you can see the whole park…_  

“Alright Cito, you stand on the bench so you can lift me up.” She tented her fingers and cracked her knuckles. 

“Ok, Boss.” He dropped the sledgehammer and hopped up on the seat. “Cito strong. Cito lift Boss to kill Monster.” 

Maxx stepped up onto the bench. Cito crouched and she climbed his shoulders, leaning on the wall for support. She balanced as he stood. With the wildman’s added height she was able to scrabble the rest of the way up. She found her footing and turned to wave at Mason and Cito.

“Gentlemen, I will see you on the other side.” She took off along the wall at a clip. The sounds of the monster got louder as she got closer to the center of the maze. There was a low gurgle and she caught a glimpse of green.

_There you are…_  

Maxx pulled the rifle off of her back and peered through the sight. 

_Too much stuff in the way._  

She continued around the edge, following the path. The gaps were too wide to jump, and she had no interest in trying to fight the beast from the ground. There was a low rumble on the opposite side of the barricade. 

_Bingo_. 

Maxx pulled the rifle off of her shoulder and tiptoed along the narrow path. The sun was behind her and the heat felt nice on her back. 

_Last one’s the easy one_. 

She leaned over and caught sight of the Gatorclaw. Her shadow fell over the beast betraying her location. The roar was deafening. The monster swiped angrily at her, catching her off balance. The Overboss was forced to dive out of the way. She landed on her toes, teetering at the edge of the wall. 

“Help! A little help!” Her eyes searched every corner of her vision, but there was no sign of Cito or Mason. The Gatorclaw rammed into the wall and she was toppling towards the ground. The impact of her back on the dirt knocked the air out of her. She was gasping for breath. Stars danced around her vision as she scrambled to get to her feet. The Monster was swiping at her again. It was at a disadvantage in the confined space. Maxx danced around the blows, but the Gatorclaw’s attacks were too fast for her to do much else. 

“Sometime today would be great!” She prayed her companions could hear her. If they did, they weren’t responding.

The Overboss skidded beneath the creature’s legs, dashing around the corner. 

_Gotta get away. Just keep moving._  

As she turned the next corner, her body met something solid and she bounced backwards with a grunt. 

Mason’s face was red and he was doubled over with pain. “Thanks, _boss_. Needed that today.” He breathed deep and pulled himself up. 

“No time for talk. Time to kill Monster.” Cito was wearing his serious face and scowled towards the beast’s location. 

Mason rolled his eyes and held his hand out to her. 

“Yeah.” Maxx ignored the pack master’s hand and got quickly to her feet. The revolver spun in her hand and she glanced between the two men. “Ready?” 

They nodded in tandem.

“Let’s go.”

All moved quietly towards the center of the maze. The Gatorclaw was sniffing and scratching at the wall. Maxx held out an arm to stop her companions. She yanked a land mine out of her belt, activating and sliding it towards the creature. 

_Too bad I don’t have more._  

Her gaze turned to Mason and she mimed at him, putting her fingers in her mouth. 

He followed her example, producing a shrill whistle. The Gatorclaw stood up straight to sniff the air. It lunged towards the opening in the wall and managed to trip the mine. The beast roared in pain and dropped to the ground. Maxx jumped out of her hiding spot, taking aim right between its eyes. She squeezed the trigger without pause. The shot echoed against the walls and the creature breathed no more. 

Maxx crouched and breathed deep, feeling dizzy. The last of the nightmare monsters was dead. She felt the release of all the stress and fear. Her eyes glazed as she stared at the wall, zoning out. 

Mason sank beside her. “You alright?” 

The Overboss shook herself out of the trance. Her gaze fell on Mason. “Well, looks like only thing left to do is to check out the tree house and string up the flag.” 

Mason nodded, looking somewhat green. “Can’t wait.” 

Cito stared upwards and shook his head. “Sky house too tall. Cito not go. Cito go and tell family that we safe.” He was smiling again.

In spite of everything, Maxx smiled back at him. “We’ll come by soon.” 

He nodded and turned to go. “Cito very happy there are no more Monsters.” 

“So is the boss, Cito.” She gave him a small wave and he was off. Maxx turned her attention back to the pack master. “Well?” 

“Well what?” His anxiety was making him snippy. 

“Don’t you want to get a good view of your new kingdom?”

He looked slightly ill at the idea. “No, but I guess I gotta.” 

Maxx laughed. “You know I’ll be there too. I can remind you not to fall over the railing. Very helpful.”

He rolled his eyes and cut in front of her to make his way towards the bright yellow platform. 

They chose separate sides of the hoist. Mason folded his arms over his chest like a sullen teenager. Maxx smirked his direction, highly amused by this. 

“You wanna do the honors?” She gestured to the bright red button. 

“Oh for Chris’sakes!” He jabbed the button with his middle finger. The look on his face was priceless as the small yellow box rose towards the treehouse. 

There was a pang of guilt at having fun with him. Being close to him. She unconsciously moved away from him and stared upwards and the fast approaching structure. The lawyer in her wondered how many times Nuka World had been threatened with lawsuits due to falling guests… 

The platform shuddered to a stop. Mason’s face was pale and he gripped the handrails tightly. The box opened to the floor of the treehouse. Maxx hopped off, looking around. The landing was free of clutter and she could see the silhouettes of furniture around the corner. Her attention was drawn back to the pack master who looked shaken.

“Hey- it’s just one step. Not a big deal at all.” Her voice was gentle as she coaxed him. The Overboss took a step forward and extended her hand just out of his reach. “C’mon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just felt like adding a personal note here. Feel free to skip.
> 
> Depression has unfortunately dawned again. The past two days I've wanted to do nothing but sleep when I got home. Today I took a 2 hour nap and I could go right back to sleep. It makes me happy to post this for my regular readers because I like to think you enjoy the little twists and turns and those mini cliff hangers. 
> 
> The thing i hate the most about when depression hits is that I start to question why I do anything. Even posting this chapter I was thinking "Why are you bothering with this? Its so small and stupid and doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things." 
> 
> TL:DR Insert whining about depression here


	17. Chapter 17

Mason stepped heavily off of the elevator and grasped her forearm. 

“See? Wasn’t so hard, right?” 

He dropped her arm in annoyance. “I don’t need coddled. I’m fine. Let’s just check this place out.” 

She put her hands up with a smirk. “Whatever you want Mr. Alpha.” 

They split up and explored the building. It appeared to have been some kind of tourist bar. There were soda machines in the corner, strategically placed trash cans, tall and short tables, a few couches, and two floors of space. 

Maxx leaned against the railing of a small balcony smoking a cigarette. It had probably been a special reservation, billed as “the table with the best view.” She could see why. One could see the entire park below. From the time she was a little girl she’d loved climbing things. The taller the tree, the better. Her mother had chided her about it in the city, but her father had always encouraged her to explore. 

She sighed, exhaling a plume of smoke. 

_Things used to be so much simpler._  

Maxx stood up and leaned on her elbows against the railing. Her eyes drifted to the ground and she could feel the evolutionary fear in her gut. For most people, it stopped them from looking. She enjoyed it.

“The hell are you doing?” Mason stayed several feet away from the balcony. “That wood’s probably rotted.”

She took the last drag and stomped the butt out. “Weren’t you just talking about not needing to be coddled?” The sunlight reflected off of her hair bringing out the warm brown tones. She turned her face skyward and basked in the warmth of the light. “Its so nice out.” A smile spread across her face while her eyes were closed. She breathed deeply and caught the different scents wafting up from the ground. 

When she opened her eyes again Mason was standing next to her. He stared out at the horizon watching the cloud shadows drift across the landscape. 

“Thought you were afraid of heights.” 

“Long as I don’t look down or have to ride a shitty wire lift I’m fine.” 

“Ah, I see.” She turned around and leaned her back against the railing. Mason’s jaw was clenched. He stared out into the brightness. Occasionally his gaze would drift to her. 

“Gotta say I’m kinda jealous.” 

Mason tilted his head. 

“This place- it’s so quiet. Far away from everyone. Private.” She shoved her hands in her pockets. “You get to stay here. I gotta go back...” She gestured towards Nuka Town with a frown. 

“You tryin’a tell me after all this that you don’t want to be the Boss?” 

She was quiet for a while, glancing over her shoulder at the view. 

“I wish I could forget about it just a little longer.” The fading sunlight bathed her face in warm orange tones. 

The pack master couldn’t stop himself. He stepped forward and gripped her jacket, pulling her towards him. She raised her eyebrows as he kissed her. He slid a finger under her chin and tilted it upwards to deepen the kiss. Their lips overlapped and she moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. A hand rubbed at the scruff on the back of his head.

Mason could sense her wavering. He paused to touch foreheads. “Just one night- no strings. Let me help you forget.” She hesitated a moment before nodding against him. Their mouths met again. 

He slid the jacket off of her and let it drop to the floor. The air was cool on her skin and goosebumps blanketed her arms. She shivered as their lips locked and unlocked. Maxx pulled back and stared into his eyes with an unspoken request. He tilted his head and he swept her up. 

The pack master set her on the counter, bending to kiss her. His hands worked the buttons on her jeans and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He lifted her just enough to slide the pants to the floor. Her hands tangled in the top of his hair, pulling his mouth back to her lips. 

Kisses turned to rough nibbles as he worked his way down her neck. She flushed at the contact and pulled him closer. He grinned up at her as he sank to his knees, gently spreading her legs. Mason nipped his way from her knee to her inner thigh and paused. 

Her face was red with anticipation and she gripped his hair impatiently. He took the direction easily, biting her thigh before sticking his tongue in her. Maxx pursed her lips and ran her hands through his ginger locks as he teased her. Meaty hands squeezed at her ass and he scooted her forward. She wrapped her legs around his neck and laid back to savor his technique. 

The pack master was well versed in his craft and flicked his tongue in a regular rhythm. He gaged her enjoyment by the amount of pressure around his neck and smirked at their current power dynamic. His hands moved back to her thighs as he spread them further. She was tugging at his hair directing him and it turned him on. 

Mason could tell she was getting close. He pulled his mouth away, replacing it with deft fingers. He massaged her with his thumb while sliding two fingers inside her. The Overboss let a moan escape as he began to speed up. Her breaths were rapid and shallow. He was taking her to the edge. 

“Don’t stop.” Maxx was ordering again. He wanted to hear her beg.

“And what if I do, mm?” The smug look on his face betrayed his desire and she yanked his hair. 

“Don’t. Stop.”

Mason stooped again, replacing his thumb with a flicking tongue. Her fingers tangled in his hair as she reached her peak and she cried out. The electric pulses running through her body slowly wound down and he moved to hover over her, stroking her hair. She kissed his palm and held it to her cheek for a moment before sliding her arms around him and yanking him closer. He took the direction and worked the belt from around his waist. His pants dropped to the floor. Maxx flashed him a coquettish smile and ran her fingers lightly over his sides. Mason shivered at her touch, leaning forward. She nodded and he thrusted into her.

The Overboss bit her lip to suppress a moan and held tightly around him. Small nips turned to bites and he was smiling hungrily. He increased his depth and speed, enjoying the way her fingers curled in his hair with pleasure. He slipped a greedy hand up her shirt to tease at her nipples. The quick intake of breath was hot in his ear. Her mouth found his and they battled each other with wet tongues. 

Mason let the passion overwhelm him, quickening his pace. She moved with him and he ripped his hand back, lifting her up and against the wall. Her legs twisted around him as he bucked and gritted his teeth. He was reaching the point of no return. The faces she was making. The noises deep in her throat. Her hair falling forward over her face… 

He howled into the dusk, slowly winding down. Maxx uncrossed her legs and he set her down gently. She draped her arms around his neck and shivered in the cool evening air. Her lips were soft against his. A yawn escaped her and she untangled her arms from him to stretch. Mason’s eyes traced her backlit body with a small smile. 

Maxx hovered over the pile of clothes, dragging the pants upward. She folded the jacket over her arm and turned to stare at him. 

“You look tired, boss.” 

She nodded. 

“C’mere.” 

With one swift motion she slipped her arms into the jacket and crossed them over her chest. 

His hands were gentle on her shoulders as he pulled her onto the couch. She leaned into his chest and breathed in. He smelled of wood smoke, sweat and something earthy. It put her at ease and she relaxed further into him. He rested his chin into the crook of her neck and shoulder. They listened to the sounds outside. She began to hum quietly, tracing small circles on his hands with her thumbs. 

“Wha’s that?” 

“Hm?” She paused, feeling his whiskers brush past her ear. “Just a song I learned from an old friend.” 

“Pretty.” He settled in with his arm around her waist. 

She could hear the exhaustion in his voice. Her body was tired and sore, but she was relaxed. Lying with him was comfortable. Their eyes drooped and each drifted off with slow and steady breaths. 

***

The light leaking through the open structure woke her from deep sleep. She stirred quietly and felt a familiar weight around her waist. Her stomach fell at the realization. The evening had transcended casual. She’d let him get to close. She’d let herself get too comfortable. It was dangerous.

Maxx raised a hand to block the sunrays. She slipped out from under his arm silently, thankful that her things were few and close together. Mason breathed deeply and shifted in his sleep. She ran a hand through her hair, tucking it behind her ear. 

_You’re an idiot._  

She grimaced and hazarded a glance at him, thankful to find that he was still asleep. Her belongings would be easiest to carry strapped back around her. Maxx painstakingly slid the belt around her waist, using a hand to mute the buckle. She did the same for the holster and armor. Hair fell across her face and she swiped it backwards. 

_Well, that’s it._  

The Overboss wished she could believe that the chapter was coming to a close. She turned to get one last good look at him. The sun illuminated his ginger hair, reflecting a rainbow of reds and oranges. His face was peaceful. She watched his chest rise and fall. Something like grief washed over her and she turned away from him, treading noiselessly to the lift. 

The bright red button stared back at her as she hesitated. Her features twisted and she jabbed at the button, grabbing the railing as the lift shuddered. The gate folded towards her with a deep groan. She drummed her fingers against the cold steel and stared at the doorway. The elevator shuddered again as the cables rolled through the pulley system. Her eyes went wide as his gigantic frame leapt through the entryway. 

“Maxx!” He stared at the descending Overboss. The words wouldn’t come to him and he faltered. 

“Mason.” Her gaze was piercing. “No matter what I might do or say as the Overboss, we are allies. Remember that.” 

The pack master nodded coldly and folded his arms over his chest. Neither broke eye contact for the duration of her descent. The lift touched down with a dull thud that reverberated through the emptiness in her chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, we've hit a milestone: 750 views as of me posting this chapter. Thank you so much for reading my story! 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this NSFW chapter. Hopefully you were not at work when you read it.


	18. Chapter 18

Her first priority was checking on Gage. He’d made a full recovery, though she noticed he’d picked up a bit of a limp. 

“You look like hell, Boss.” His grin stretched across his face as she swept him into a tight hug. He held her shoulders and looked her over. “You keep the beastmaster in line?” 

“Easy enough when you’ve got a leash.” She chuckled half heartedly, avoiding his gaze. 

That had been the extent of what she’d told him about her experience. He’d tried, but she would always find a way to change the subject. 

There had been a decent amount of gossip making the rounds since she’d stepped through the gates. Gage had kept an especially close eye on her since she’d returned. Her behavior was more erratic than usual. She’d been sleeping half the day away only to wake up and start drinking again. He’d been able to keep a lid on it for a time by shutting her up in Fizz Top. The past two nights she’d managed to sneak out and raise hell with the raiders, leaving him to clean up the mess. 

He turned his attention back to the snoring mass and heaved a sigh. 

_The hell’re you doin’ Boss?_

Her right hand couldn’t stand another minute of it. He stood up and glanced around the room, zeroing in on one of several glasses of water he’d tried to get her to drink. 

“Alright, that’s it Boss. It’s time you woke up.” 

He hurled the water at her face and took a seat at the edge of the filthy mattress. She coughed and sputtered to life. 

“What the fuck?!” She rubbed the water from around her eyes, squinting his direction. “Gage? What the fuck, man?” The Overboss hacked some more and paused to swallow forcefully. The taste of vomit stuck to her tongue. She burped, looking green. “Ugh- why the fuck did you do that?” An unsteady hand rose to block out the sun. “What fucking time is it?” 

Gage smacked her hand back down. “I don’t care if you’re the Boss or not, I’m done with this shit.” 

She rolled over and stuck her face in the pillow with an exasperated groan. There was pain in her nose as her friend yanked the pillow out from under her face. 

“You don’t get to roll over, ignore me, or change the god damned subject. I’m tired of playin’ these games, Boss.” 

Maxx frowned into the mattress. Why couldn’t he just leave it alone? Her fingers itched for a bottle. She knew it wasn’t healthy. It just didn’t matter. 

Gage prodded her to roll over and positioned himself to keep the sun out of her eyes. “Maxx,” his voice was soft, “What the hell are you doing? You sleep all day, drink all night, challenge everyone you meet to some kind of pissing contest while you’re drunk.” He paused to take a breath. “I can drink the night away with the rest of ‘em, but doin’ it every night? C’mon, Boss. It just ain’t smart.” 

“Thanks for the public service announcement.” She pulled a pillow over her head to block him out. 

It was the last straw for him. He snatched her up like a sack of potatoes and tossed her over his shoulder. She yelped in surprise, letting loose a string of profanity-ridden threats. The Overboss didn’t bother to flail- she was already about to throw up. Gage had one arm wrapped around her middle while the other twisted the shower knob. With surprising ease he flipped her around and set her in the tub. 

“Get yourself cleaned up. We got work to do, and you an I are gonna have a little chat.”

Maxx glared daggers at his back in vain. The sound of the slamming door made her head ring. She leaned against the back of the tub and let the water pelt her until she was shaking with cold. A dull roar filled her ears. The layers of clothing took forever to peel from her shaking limbs. They landed in a sodden mound on the floor. 

The Overboss’ stomach turned suddenly and she was hovering over the toilet. The taste of vomit made her heave, unleashing a cascade of barely-processed alcohol. Once the onslaught had finally stopped, Maxx found herself naked, hugging the commode for dear life. She pulled herself onto shaky legs. 

The reflection staring back at her looked like someone else. Dark circles lined her eyes. Her skin was pale and dry. Her cheeks were gaunt and Maxx found herself wondering when she’d last eaten a proper meal. 

Her body quavered as she twisted the shower knob. An avalanche of hot water poured over her. The tremors shaking her arms and legs gradually stopped and the world seemed to come into focus. She could pick out individual sounds again. Breathing came easier. The taste of bile in her mouth made her frown. She filled her mouth, swishing and gargling. Maxx watched as the cloudy water disappeared down the drain. 

_Fuck._  

***

Gage sat across the table from the Overboss. Her jaw was clenched, but she was listening. The sunlight was pleasantly warm on her skin.

“Boss? You gonna open up a little?” 

“ _Fine_. There were Gatorclaws. Lots of them.” 

“There were- oh.” He paused to glance at his thigh. “And when did we start calling them sons-a-bitches _Gatorclaws_?” 

“Its what the scientist named them- please don’t ask.” She drummed her fingers against the side of the water glass. 

Gage looked her over. There was a piece missing from the puzzle. What was it? 

He cleared his throat. “Look Boss, its time we get things movin’ again.” His face was grave. “You know how these folks don’t like to be kept waiting.” 

Maxx frowned. “Yeah.” She picked at her fingernails and stared out the open window. “What do we have left? Let’s see…” She counted the locations off on her fingers. “Nuka Galaxy, Kiddie Kingdom, the bottling plant…” Her eyes rolled upwards in contemplation. “Gage? Anything I’m missing?” 

“Powerplant.” 

“Ah.” She nodded and grasped her chin. “Well, here’s what I propose. We take down the bottling plant. Its just a bunch of ‘lurks, and if we could get it up and running again, well, that’d be a good thing.” 

“Question is, who gets it?”

“Operators’ll make sure its running at peak performance. More product, more caps.” She took a long gulp of water.

“Boss…” There was a warning in his tone. “That makes two for the Operators, one for the Pack, and none for the Disciples.”

“Don’t you think I know that?” Maxx pushed herself back from the table and fished out a crumpled pack of cigarettes. “But I have to take into account the risks associated with the last three.” Smoke drifted past her eyes and the end of the cigarette bobbed with each word. “Kiddie Kingdom is full of radiation and ferals. Nuka Galaxy is a robotic death trap. But the bottling plant? Piece of cake.” 

“Yeah but-“ 

“Look, here’s what we’re gonna do. We’ll sit down with the gang leaders and hash it out. The choice is logical, and hopefully they’ll see that without having to be…motivated.” 

“You’re the Boss.” Gage sighed as he swiped a cigarette out of her pack. “I’ll get it set up.” 

*** 

There were four faces staring intently at the Overboss. Mason had cleaned himself up. His face had been transformed into a Technicolor labyrinth once again. The stubble was gone, and the sides of his hair had been trimmed into neat rows. His clothes were clean and he seemed to be feeling physically much better 

The Black siblings were dapper as always in their patterned suits. They hovered close to one another, almost uncomfortably so. Both wore smug smiles. 

Nisha wore the same blood-stained rags and metal mask she always wore. Maxx didn’t think she would ever feel at ease around her. The Disciple’s leader made a show of casually playing with her knife. 

“Let me get this straight,” Nisha’s voice was quiet, but no less threatening. “The Operators were awarded the first park.” She paused to stare at the Overboss through the metal mask. “You’ve just spent two weeks claiming a park for the Pack. But you have decided, in your infinite wisdom, to grant _yet another_ park to the Operators. Meanwhile, the Disciples and I sleep very close to your home sweet home with nowhere else to go.” 

Maxx didn’t flinch. “Yes, that’s true.” She met each party’s eyes. “The Operators are the business savvy bunch. We need to increase the amount of caps we’re taking in. Mags and William will see to it that happens.” 

The Black siblings nodded. “We would be happy to take on the responsibility, Overboss.” Mags’ smile was mocking. 

“That doesn’t explain why you’ve chosen to go to the trouble of claiming another location for _them_.” Nisha was growing impatient. 

“Yeah, _boss._ ” Mason’s jaw was set in a firm line. 

Maxx raised an eyebrow. “You challenging your Overboss, Mason?” 

The pack master’s face was red under the paint. “And what if I am?” 

“Then I’ll have to muzzle you.” She turned her attention back to Nisha. “Look, the bottling plant is the best strategic choice. We gotta have caps to keep this place running.” She gestured around them. “We get the bottling plant working and we’ll be rolling in them.” Maxx paused again to blow her hair out of her face. “Plus, it’s going to be the easiest to clear. Everything else is going to take time and special equipment and I don’t intend to waste the time we could be using to drum up business.” 

The metal mask nodded slowly. “We’ll see, Boss. But don’t forget what I told you.” Nisha turned on her heel and sauntered towards the gates. “My patience is wearing thin.” The threat was clear. 

Mags and William smiled like hungry gators seeing her leave. “Well Boss, we appreciate the favor. You let us know what we can do to…help you out.” They excused themselves with a slight bowing of the head. “Enjoy your evening, Overboss. Just not _too_ much.” 

Mason grunted and turned to leave. “Got some loot for you. Come see me at the Zoo.” He didn’t linger. 

Maxx was relieved to see everyone go. She turned back to Gage with a shaky smile. “Well, that went…well.” 

Gage rested his forehead in his palm. “Whatever you say, Boss.” 

The Overboss swallowed hard. There was an uncomfortable knot in her stomach at Nisha’s words. 

Her second in command broke the train of thought. “You better come up with somethin’ to appease Nisha’s people and it’d better be soon.” 

She waved him off and started back towards the square. “We can hash out a whole plan after we eat something.” 

There was a muffled response as he fell in step beside her. “I sure hope you know what you’re doin’.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn, y'all. 800 views.
> 
> I hope you've been having a nice week so far. Happy Wednesday. I want to thank those of you who commented. You were very kind and really cheered me up when I was feeling down. It means a lot when people leave comments, and I am happy to get them :) :) :)


	19. Chapter 19

 

Maxx was rattled. She fidgeted with her gloves at the entrance of the Zoo and traced small patterns in the wood with her eyes.

“Haven’t gotten a chance to check out Safari Kingdom yet, but I hear its somethin’ else. Good to see you sticking with the Pack, Boss.” 

The woman’s voice barely registered. Maxx nodded at her before slipping through the doors. The familiar smell of urine and animal waste was no less offensive than her first visit. She found herself studying the place. Brightly colored Pack members greeted her with thanks and shoulder claps. She ambled her way through the crowd, nodding and flashing what she hoped were convincing smiles. 

As she drew closer, the Overboss noted that there was no cage match raging in front of the amphitheater stage. 

“Well hello, _boss_.” There was an edge to his voice. 

“Mason.” She squared her shoulders, looking up at him from the bottom step. “You said you had something for me?” Boredom drenched her words and expression. A yawn escaped. 

“I dunno. Can you stay awake long enough to get it?” He leaned back in his chair with a Cheshire grin.

“I have things to do. If you’re going to waste my time-” 

“Don’t get your panties in a bunch, _boss_. I got your tribute.” He pushed himself up and stretched. The tank top pulled across his chest and she looked away, suddenly very interested in a pair of stray dogs. 

“Follow me, Overboss.” Mason turned and stalked towards the back of the amphitheater. Maxx followed, feeling the heat in her cheeks. She mentally cursed herself for being so foolish. A frown stretched across her face and she crossed her arms. 

_You’re the Boss, damnit. Stop it._  

The pack master shoved the door open, leaving Maxx to close it. 

“What could you possibly have for me-” 

He pulled her hips to him and leaned towards her. Their faces were dangerously close. She met his eyes as she reached for his hands. With gentle pressure she released them from her sides. Mason let them drop. 

“Look, I think you read too much into…whatever you want to call what we did.” Maxx’s face betrayed her. “And while I appreciate the support-” 

He held up a finger to silence her. “No.” 

“No?” 

“Don’t lie to my face. You don’t want this,” he gestured between them, “to keep going? Fine. But don’t you fuckin’ stand there and try to twist things around.” 

“I’m not lying.” She slipped into lawyer mode. Part of her was even surprised how naturally it still came. Her body language was stiff and her face was a mask. "We kept each other company during a very stressful situation. Its natural-” 

“Don’t do that.”

“And while I appreciate what you did for me, I have no interest in continuing to engage in such a way.” 

“Maxx-” 

“I’m the Overboss.” 

“Fine, _Overboss_.” 

“Did you even ask me here for a real reason?” 

“Yeah.” His body twisted as he grabbed the bag. It landed at her feet with a heavy jingle. Mason spat the words at her. “You earned every cap of it.”

“I don’t want your money.” Her eyes were trained on the dirty pouch.

“Then why did you come?” 

“Because you _asked_ me to come here.” Maxx’s hackles were rising. 

“If you didn’t want my money, what were you expecting, hm?” He jabbed a finger at her. 

She gripped his finger and shoved it at the floor. “I expected that you wouldn’t be stupid enough to think that this was gonna go somewhere. I expected that you would want to keep yourself and your people safe.” Maxx swept her hair backwards angrily. “They will _kill_ you.” 

“Let ‘em try.”

“Don’t be a fucking idiot.” 

“Only one of those in the room and it ain’t me.”

“I don’t have time for this.” She turned to leave. “I’m trying to prevent a war here, Mason. I’m doing the best I goddamned well can and you can either fall in line or get the fuck outta my way.” 

He stepped towards her and swept the bag of caps off of the floor. “Take ‘em. They’re yours.”

“I told you-” 

“Just shut up and take ‘em. You walk outta here empty handed and people are gonna talk.” Mason pressed the bag into her arms. “Right, _boss_?”

Her fingers tightened around the bag. “Fine.” She tried not to notice how his hand lingered just a second too long. 

“Now with all due respect, get the hell outta here.” He pulled the door open and motioned her through.

“Goodbye, Mason.”

“Be seeing you, Overboss.” 

***

By the time Gage had managed to find the Overboss, she was already sloshed. His boot tip sent an empty bottle rolling across the floor and past her face. She picked her head up to stare at him. 

“Look who decided to join the party,” An idiotic grin spread from cheek to cheek. “Hi Gage.” 

She managed to knock a half-empty beer bottle over as she attempted to right herself. “Well, fuck.” A cackle. “You know what they call that? Gage? He stared down at her with an angry scowl. “Alcohol abuse. Get it? Alcohol. Abuse.” She was rolling. 

“Boss I thought we were past this shit.” He stared down at her. 

“Aw, stop being a pain in my ass- come drink with me!”

Gage dropped into a crouch, leaning back to take a seat. “What happened?” 

“Nothin’.” She dropped her gaze. 

“Bullshit.” He slid the last full bottle just out of her reach. 

“I’ll just get up and go get more, y’know.” A swath of hair fell over her eyes. She failed at trying to blow it out of her face. 

“Can you even walk straight?”

“No. No Gage, I cannot.” She slapped the aged wood. “How d’you think I got down here to begin with?” Another raucous wave of laughter filled the room.

His face was a wall. “Maxine, this ain’t gonna work.” 

“What?” She quirked a brow. 

“This Second in Command thing.” 

Her face twisted. “What are you saying?”

“I’m sayin’ you’re not holding up your end of things and I’m leavin’.” 

Maxx pushed herself up. The room was spinning and she leaned heavily against the end of the bed. “You’re serious.” 

He nodded, staring out the window. 

She swallowed hard, keeping her voice level. “You know where the door is.” 

Another nod. 

“I’m not going to beg you to stay.” 

“Not askin’ you to.” 

“Why are you doing this?” 

“Boss, I spent an entire year wrangling that son-of-a-bitch Colter. You saw how that played out.” He sighed, rubbing at his mohawk. “I ain’t interested in babysitting.”

“The hell are you talking about? I’ve already cleared two parks.” She gestured out the window. “Wasn’t that the whole point of dragging me into this hellhole?” 

“When you get back from these jaunts, when things get hard- you get yourself blackout drunk an’ I have to drag your sorry ass home.” He met her eyes with a hard stare and his voice softened. “And one of these days I’m not going to be there when something happens.” 

“So because I have a good time and blow off steam and you’re just gonna leave?” 

“Don’t give me that crap. What you’re doin’- It ain’t _blowing off steam_.” He rested a hand on her shoulder. “I ain’t gonna pry about the what and why, but I damn sure ain’t gonna pretend that everything’s fuckin’ peachy.” 

She shrugged his hand off. “We are not seriously sitting here having the ‘you have a drinking problem’ talk.” Her tone was bitter and she struggled to her feet. 

“Are you that goddamned stubborn?” Gage stood in front of her. “You know I don’t bullshit you, Boss. You really gonna stand here and tell me you _don’t_ have a problem?” 

Maxx looked at him patronizingly and pulled herself up to full height. “I. Don’t. Have. A. Problem.” She crossed her arms over her chest with a smug grin. 

He sighed, nodding slowly. “Alright.” 

“Alright? That’s it? Just _alright_ , and you’re done?” 

“Look, Maxx, I dunno why you wanna make this a fight, but I ain’t biting.” He crossed the room to stand on the balcony. “I’ll make sure to be out of your hair by morning.” 

She opened her mouth for a comeback, but faltered. “Fine. Leave. Do whatever you want.” Her legs were still shaky as she crossed the room. She pulled her jacket on and disappeared through the blue doors.

Gage watched them slide closed and shook his head.

***

Maxx slid through the narrow opening, sticking to the shadows. She crept her way towards the door. Her ears perked up as she watched two figures wandering around the sparsely populated grounds. Once they were a fair distance away she sidled up to the aging wood. It was solid under her palm and cool against the side of her face. She pressed an ear to the door, listening to the muffled sounds. There was definitely someone inside. The handle twisted silently and she slipped inside, careful not to let the door slam behind her. 

His back was towards her and his face was buried in a towel. The facet handle squeaked as he shut the water off. Her foot sent a stray bottle cap skittering across the floor. The towel dropped as Mason spun on his heel and gripped her by the throat. His eyes were wide in surprise and he immediately released her. 

“Maxx?” 

She responded by coughing and massaging her neck. 

“Jesus- what the hell are you doing here?” The pack master’s eyes lingered on her collar. 

The Overboss took hold of his shirt and yanked him towards her. Their faces met clumsily. Mason smelled clean as she breathed him in. She smelled like alcohol. 

He pulled back, staring hard at her. “Why are you here? You come in here on your high horse, tellin’ me you don’t want to _engage-_ ” 

He was silenced by her mouth.

Mason shuddered and cursed under his breath. The pack master scooped her up and gripped her by the thighs. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he moved awkwardly towards the bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had so much fun writing the dialogue for this chapter. I can't believe we're up to 19 chapters so far. A lot of the experience this time around is the "Whoa, I wrote this?"
> 
> I want to thank you for comments and kudos. They are such a bright spot in my day. If anybody ever wants to chat, hit me up on tumblr- @biggreenfeet :)
> 
> I look forward to posting more and I hope y'all do too. ʕ￫ᴥ￩ʔ


	20. Chapter 20

They sat in the quiet for a long while. Mason yawned against his hand, catching his breath.

“So let me get this straight,” the pack master was laying on his back with his arms under his head. “This morning, you’re done with this. Tonight, we’re fucking in my bed.” 

“Yup.” 

“Why?” He shifted to his side, looking up at her. 

She wouldn’t meet his eyes. “Blowing off steam.” 

“You could blow off steam with anybody.” 

“Not true.” Her gaze drifted upward. 

“Then why-” 

“Because I trust you, ok?” The line of questioning was making her uncomfortable. 

“Oh.” He was at a loss for words. 

The Overboss threw back the covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed. “I’d better go.” 

His voice was soft. “You know you don’t have to rush outta here.” 

Maxx hopped as she pulled the jeans over her hips. She pulled her bra and tank top on together. There was a near fall as she shoved her feet into her boots.

“I have to get back.” She wouldn’t meet his gaze. 

All he could do was nod as he slipped out from under the sheets. He moved to the weathered dresser and pulled out a fresh pair of boxers. 

Maxx walked towards the door and grabbed her jacket. She paused with a hand on the knob without looking back. “I’m sorry.” 

He nodded at her retreating form and watched her disappear into the darkness. 

*** 

It had been three days since Gage had left. Three days since she’d made the idiotic decision to pay Mason an _extra special_ visit. Three days of tuning the power armor and getting supplies ready. The bottling plant wasn’t far away, but she wasn’t sure what to expect once she got inside. 

The sun was already climbing into the sky. She wiped her brow on the back of her hand with a sigh. The Mirelurks would be easy enough to dispose of. She’d already picked a point of attack. The Overboss drummed her fingers against her chin, ruminating on her plan. 

She got to her feet and took a step back from the steel exoskeleton. Her eyes lingered on the gashes in the chest plate. 

_Gage…_

Maxx’s face contorted and a sense of guilt weighed heavily in her chest.

“Good riddance.” She kicked at a random piece of garbage on the floor. 

_You’re not fooling anyone._  

She stepped out onto the balcony and scanned the tiny figures as they made their way around Nuka Town. There were few clouds in the sky. The sun was hot, but the air whipping her hair around was cool. Tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood up, making her shiver and Maxx felt suddenly exposed. She turned back inside and eyed her belongings. 

“Might as well get going.” 

The power armor hissed and sprang open. She liked that the fusion core was at nearly full power, though she’d packed an extra just in case. The revolver was still glued to her hip, but would be useless inside the steel suit. With a grunt, Maxx stepped up into it and let the frame close around her. The readings on the screen seemed sound. She tested the joints and helmet for mobility. 

_Everything’s in working order._  

The green duffle’s strap was just long enough to fit around the armor. All of her travel essentials were stuffed inside. The last item to pack was the rifle. It was solid in her hands as she stared at the mess of colors. The Overboss threw the gun over her shoulder and breathed deep. 

_It’s time._  

*** 

Maxx assumed the other gangs would figure out what was going on. She knew it wasn’t the best way to do things, but she was in no mood to deal with people. Some of them had acknowledged her as she’d passed by Dry Rock Gulch and Safari Kingdom on the way to the bottling plant. 

The entrance to the World of Refreshment proved to be clear of obstacles. She flipped the park medallion with her thumb as her eyes scanned the path leading away from the park and out to the road. A defunct Red Rocket sat unoccupied a decent clip from the back of the attraction. 

_Good way station._

The Overboss peered through the gun scope and visually toured the structure. There was no movement or signs of danger. The heat of the day was beginning to get to her in the suit. She could feel her clothing sticking to her and sweat trickled from her forehead into her eyes. The gloves made her fingers clumsy and it took more time than she would have liked to pull the helmet off. It was worth it for the breeze. 

Maxx made her way to the bygone gas station. Her first priority was exiting the stifling heat of the power armor. The interior of the building remained cool, and she was thankful for the respite. The layout was an exact copy of the Sanctuary adjacent Red Rocket. It had become a base of operations and transitioned into a sort of home once upon a time. 

She shook her head to clear the thoughts. There was a reason she’d left it far away, and it wasn’t something she wanted to be thinking about. The duffle sat at her feet. It was stuffed to the gills with food, bedding, ammo, her armor, and an extra set of clothes. There was no way she’d have been able to drag it without the power armor. She chuckled to herself while sifting through it all. Her hand closed around the familiar package and she smiled. 

“You never should’ve taught me how to make this, old man.” The Overboss chewed the dried meat with verve while poking around the old building. She brushed her hands off on her jeans. There was a tiny room that would serve as a decent sleeping place. Maxx had figured out that unlike her former home, this Rocket had no exterior doors. It put her on edge to know how vulnerable it made her. 

It was the hottest part of the day, and probably the worst time to be outside and running around. The stress and depression of the past few days was catching up with her. A yawn escaped her and she was suddenly exhausted. Her eyelids drooped and her limbs felt stiff. 

_Why am I so tired all of a sudden?_  

Maxx dropped onto the yellow nylon and laid back. She stared at the ceiling, finding imaginary pictures in the popcorn. Before long she was dozing off. 

*** 

The sounds of the evening pulled her gently from sleep. A cool breeze swirled around the open space. She sat up and looked around. Her throat felt dry and scratchy. 

_How long was I out?_

She glanced at the PipBoy. It was just after ten o’clock. She stretched her arms towards the sky and listened to her vertebrae pop. The Overboss felt surprisingly well rested. It was a rarity these days. 

No more time could be wasted. Maxx chugged a can of water and gathered her things. She pulled on her jacket and armor and grabbed the rifle. There was no need for the power armor if she was going to be climbing. Part of her looked forward to it. 

She made her way to the back of the park quickly and paused to listen at the open hole in the wall. It looked like something had crashed through the brick at some point. There were brightly colored shipping containers stacked in no particular order. They would give her a good vantage point. No strange sounds met her ears and she ducked into the opening. 

Maxx scaled the steel containers effortlessly and perched herself on top. She stared through the darkness. There were too many obstacles in her way. She jumped from the stack and landed in a crouch on the asphalt. There was an old outbuilding closer to the bottling plant. She was relieved to find another shipping container next to the building. Making her way to the top was easy.

Maxx watched the neon blue creatures skitter along the edge of the retention pond. There was a semi parked in her line of sight. To the left were the unbreachable walls of the soda fortress.

The butt of the rifle was solid against her shoulder as she followed a Mirelurk through the scope. There were only three prowling the more immediate grounds. She could just make out the cluster of eggs on the bank of the pond. 

“Easy pickin’s.” 

The Overboss squinted and squeezed the trigger. One egg splattered, two, three until all that remained was goo and broken shells. This seemed to draw no attention from the adults. She smirked and reloaded the gun. 

“At least one of these god damned parks is going to be easy.” 

The sight was pressed to her eye, and Maxx took careful aim. It took her three shots to the creature’s soft underbelly and it fell. The Mirelurk closest to its fallen comrade clicked its pincers suspiciously. It paced back and forth as if trying to pinpoint where the attack had come from. She inhaled deeply and squeezed the trigger. The bullet found its mark, penetrating the animal’s head. It crumpled without another click. The last had disappeared. Maxx shouldered the gun and walked the length of the rooftop, but there was no sign of it. 

Suddenly, the ground was shaking and a booming cry echoed off of the concrete walls. The hulking monster bellowed angrily, looking for its attacker. 

_Fuck._  

The Overboss dropped into a crouch as her brain tried to untangle the variables. It was a Mirelurk Queen. She’d had to face one in Far Harbor and had learned quickly that you killed it before it killed you. 

Acid poured from its maw and soaked the ground around it. Lucky for Maxx, it was still scanning the area. 

_Do I try to shoot it now? Am I fast enough? Is it going to roam outside the walls?_

She shook her head and took aim. Her hands shook slightly. In that moment, she was alone and very much on her own. 

The queen’s cry was deafening. In spite of the creature’s pain, it managed to figure out where she was and lumbered towards her. Acid poured from the sides of its face as it closed the gap between them. Maxx’s eyes were wide. She raised the gun to fire. The first two shots went wide. The third hit the creature’s shell. By the fifth round, little more damage had been done.

The caustic overspray misted towards her and she backed away slowly. The giant Mirelurk hovered several feet away. The acid rained down around her and she was running off the side of the building. She landed hard on her ankle with a strangled cry. From there she hobbled her way towards the hole in the wall. Thankfully, the queen would have to find another way around the wall. Maxx prayed the animal didn’t figure out how to burst through the wire fence. She didn’t look back, diving through the hole and sprinting as fast as she could manage for the Red Rocket. 

_I’ve got to get to the power armor. Gotta keep that thing away from the raiders._  

There was a dull pain throbbing its way up her leg. She ignored it and slammed into the steel suit. Frantic, shaky hands twisted the wheel and it opened with a hiss. It closed just as quickly and she turned to see the massive glowing Mirelurk racing her direction. 

“Shit shit SHIT!” 

The Overboss dove out of the garage and sprinted at the creature head on. It spat the erosive liquid her direction and Maxx had to resort to running in a zigzag pattern. 

_Gotta lure that thing back where we came from._  

All of the sprinting was wearing her down. She was panting inside the suit and there was a stitch in her side. The gap in the wall was fast approaching. The Overboss turned the top half of her body and fired off a few shots. The Mirelurk queen took the bait, squalling and gushing acid as Maxx disappeared through the opening. 

_I hope that bought me some time._  

She headed for the outbuilding and scrambled her way to the top just in time to watch the livid creature amble towards the roof. Maxx dropped to one knee and peered through the sight. There was no time to think. She had to act, and fast. 

Bullets pelted the softer portions of the crab’s anatomy and it shrieked in pain. Caustic spray sizzled as it bit into the metal plating. She could feel the heat it generated. 

The gun had lightened significantly which told her one thing: she was almost out of ammo. Maxx held her ground and took a deep breath. She blocked out the extraneous noise and distractions. It was just her and the gun. She trained the barrel on the creature’s head. Knowing when to fire was like a lightening strike. You had to get it just right… 

The two shots connected solidly with the beast’s head. It writhed and lost its balance. The ground shook with the impact. Maxx took the last shot, putting the queen out of its misery. The movement ceased, and its limbs went slack.

The Overboss fell backwards onto her ass and breathed heavily. Most of the acid had evaporated but the heat of the reaction remained. Her ankle throbbed fiercely and her face twisted in pain. There was a heart wrenching loneliness in her chest as she dawned on her yet again: she was alone and on her own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My father in law died on Monday. It was sudden in that we thought he had more time. With that said, I am catching up to my current chapter and updates might slow. I like the distraction of the writing, but I am noticing it is hard for me to stay engaged in things lately. What I do not plan to do is stop. I am writing with an end in mind! 
> 
> Last note: Thank you for reading, your comments, and kudos. It's nice to feel like I am succeeding at something.


	21. Chapter 21

Strange shuffling sounds roused her instantly. She cracked an eye and looked for any trace of movement. An electric green glow danced around the room. The Overboss watched in silent terror as the glowing feral ghoul shuffled a foot away from her face. There was a special kind of energy pouring off of the phantom. It was only then that the ticks of the Geiger counter registered. 

The ghoul suddenly turned its melted features towards her. It was drawn in by the noises coming out of the PipBoy. Cold sweat rolled off of her forehead as the creature stood over her, mesmerized by the ticking. Her face twisted slightly at the sudden itch in her nose. Maxx could feel the sneeze coming on. It was too late. She watched in horror as the feral’s expression changed. It lunged for her in the small space. Deformed hands with overgrown fingernails wrapped themselves around her neck and shoulders. The glowing one shook her and hissed in her face. 

She wanted to scream, but nothing would come out. Maxx was frozen with fear. The only thing she could do was listen to the angry clicking at her wrist and wait for the end. The ghoul was leaning in with its rotting maws open. It was going to tear her face off. 

The Overboss jumped up, feeling her forehead impact something hard. 

“Gah, fuck!” The figure swam into focus. He was holding his nose and tears welled in his eyes. 

“Mason?” She looked frantically trying to find the glowing ghoul. 

The pack master stared down at her with a confused look. “What the hell are you doin’, _boss?_ ” 

Maxx slapped his hands away from her. “Where’s the feral? The glowing one- it almost…” Her face fell at his expression. “It was… a dream?” She inhaled and exhaled deeply. “It was just a dream.” The relief washed over her. 

“Nightmares?” 

She nodded slowly and sat up. Her brain was still groggy. “I was dreaming that I was sleeping here and I woke up to a glowing ghoul and then I sneezed and it attacked me and the Pipboy was clicking away because of the radiation and-” She paused and stared up at his face. “Wait a minute, why are _you_ here?” 

“Word around town is you’re clearing out the bottling factory. I was in the neighborhood. Thought I’d drop by. Check in.” 

Maxx rubbed her eyes, slowly coming to life. “What do you mean ‘in the neighborhood’? Her stare was accusatory. 

“Look, people have been talking about- I mean there are rumors-“ He struggled to find the words. “People are saying Gage left. They didn’t see him with you when you left, and no one has seen him since.” 

She stared at the floor. 

“Ah. I see.” The pack master leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms. His eyes drifted to the wrappings around her ankle. His gaze was questioning. “What hap-” 

“Don’t.” 

He put his hands up. “Alright.” 

“Isn’t being this far from the Zoo a little conspicuous?” her exasperation was showing in her tone. 

“I wasn’t at the Zoo, _boss_. Maybe your forgot about a little place called _Safari Kingdom_. You know, the one with the Gatorclaws?” 

“Nope, not ringing a bell.” She pushed herself irritably to her feet with a grimace. He reached out to catch her arm. “I got it.” Maxx did a little hop and leaned a hand against the doorframe. 

“Who pissed in your Quantum?” 

“Look, I don’t know why you felt the need to march your furry pants down here, but I’ve got work to do.” 

“Yeah?” He smirked, amused. “Snoring that exhausting for you?” 

Maxx felt her face getting hot. “No. Bringing down a Queen Mirelurk might be.” She delighted in his shocked expression. “And I don’t snore.” 

Mason paused. He would normally have continued bantering with her, but suddenly felt awkward. Finding out that she’d taken on a giant crab monster alone made him feel…sick? He twirled his goatee and met her gaze. “If you really took down one of them things by yourself, gotta say I’m impressed.” He nodded towards her ankle. “That why you’re wrapped up?” 

She felt the shift in his behavior. “Yeah. Jumped off a building.” The Overboss ran a hand through her hair, feeling suddenly uncomfortable. She didn’t like the way he looked at her. Like he was concerned. 

“Ah. Well, throwing yourself off of buildings can be hazardous to your health.” He rubbed at the back of his neck. 

Maxx chuckled. “D’you mind?” She gestured outside the door. 

“After you, _boss._ ” He sashayed her through the opening and made a face.

She winced as she put pressure on the injured ankle. Unsure of what to do, Mason held out an arm awkwardly. 

“Aw, did you want to give me a hug?” Her brow furrowed. 

The pack master rolled his eyes. “You really that stubborn?” 

“Yup.” She continued to hobble towards the garage and her duffle. 

“You’re ridiculous.” He sidled up to her and swept her off the ground. 

“Hey! The hell’s a matter with you?” she glared at him, but made no more fuss about the ride. 

He set her down gingerly on a stool. “Damn, you are stubborn.” Mason hovered over her with a hand on either side of the seat. 

Maxx folded her arms. “Yup.” She knew she needed to stop. She knew she should tell him to fuck off and go away. She knew all of these things, but…But he smelled like fire. But his hair was slightly mussed and fell over his eyes. But his mouth hovered inches away… 

The kiss was soft. The pack master lingered for a moment and his hair tickled her cheek. A small smile played at the corners of her mouth. He pulled back slowly and met her contented gaze. A calloused hand grazed her jawline. 

He stepped back abruptly as she leaned towards him, dropping his hand from her face. 

“I shouldn’t have come out here.” Mason smoothed his hair back. He couldn’t look her in the eye. “I should go.” He turned and ducked out the rolling door. Maxx said nothing, but her eyes followed his silhouette until he disappeared from view. Neither spotted the figure in the twisted iron mask. 

*** 

Maxx spent another day making a plan of attack. She used it as a distraction to push thoughts about _him_ out of her mind. Unfortunately for her, thinking about the fact that she wasn’t thinking about him got her thinking about him again.

One thing the Overboss been able to think about was her big entrance. It would be best to enter from the back of the building. The exterior stairs would let her move top to bottom to clear the plant. She couldn’t remember much about the building except that it was a ride and visitors could get a glimpse of the factory. 

The gun parts had been cleaned and buffed. She inspected each one before putting the gun back together. The pieces clicked and snapped into place. She gave the chamber a spin and closed it up with a flick of her wrist. 

“Well, that’s it. No more procrastinating.” 

Her stomach knotted with anxiety. She gave her ankle a roll. It was a little tender, but had plenty of support in her laced up boot. Stimpaks had helped a lot. The last question was whether or not to wear power armor. The Overboss had given it a good deal of thought. It was a boat ride, which meant a lot of water. Power armor would give good protection, but she’d have to slog through the moat. It would be harder to sneak. In the end, she’d decided on no power armor. If nothing else, she could check things out inside, then come back for it. 

Maxx tightened the belt around her waist. She’d packed the leather pouches with supplies, keeping in mind they might get waterlogged. The rifle stood in the corner. She stared at it and traced the bright colors. He’d given it to her during their first meeting. Their first dominance struggle. It had been a gift for standing her ground. Had she known then? Maxx shook her head. 

“Don’t have time for this.” She swept up the gun and slung it irritably over her shoulder. 

The Overboss marched across the grassy field and headed for the familiar hole in the wall. She was cautious to step quietly as she approached the outbuilding. From the roof, she surveyed the area. There were no new Mirelurks. There was no movement or sign of other creatures. The square was empty. 

There was a network of ladders leading up the height of the building. Maxx decided she would climb to the highest point to find the top most entrance. The staircases hugged the sides of the different forms. She veered left into an outdoor control room. A dead gunner lay in a heap at the open entrance. Maxx crouched down and searched the corpse. There wasn’t much on the woman, but the ammo was a good find. She dropped the spare bullets in a side pouch and moved on. The office desk had stubborn drawers. She yanked at the center, sprawling backwards as it gave way.

“God damnit!” She shook her finger. The desk seemed empty. Maxx gave it one last ditch effort and felt around the very back of the drawer. “Ah ha!” Her face fell when she realized it was just an old employee ID. 

There was a set of double doors leading into the factory, but there was a lot more building to climb. She doubled back and made her way up the stairs. There was a giant concrete cylinder filled with water with a small ladder leading into the mouth. She stepped up, peering into the darkened water. 

_Waitaminute- did something just move?_  

The answer to her question lunged out of the water and tackled her to the heavy wired floor. It knocked the wind out of her. She wasted no time trying to figure it out. Instead, the Overboss kicked upwards with the full strength of her legs. The creature was thrown backwards and squawked in anger and pain. 

Maxx was on her feet and running. She spotted the stairs to the next level and took them two at a time. The sound waves brushed by her, reverberating against her calf. 

_Fuck. It’s a king Mirelurk._

She reached the top of the stairs and yanked the pistol from her hip following the animal’s dogged gait. 

“Say night-night…” Maxx sighted down the barrel and squeezed the trigger. The bullet sparked as it ricocheted. She’d been knocked off balance by an invisible sonic wave that left her dizzy and completely disoriented. There were more than one. Her eyes were telling her there were as many as four. She gripped the handrails for dear life as the Mirelurks converged on her. 

_You need a plan. You need an instant plan. What are you doing just standing here? Let go of that thing and get moving!_  

The Overboss used her grip on the handrail to fling herself forward onto the concrete rooftop. She tucked herself into a ball, narrowly missing the bite of the creature’s claws. The rifle skittered across the pavement. The sound of their sonic attacks bounced around the brightly colored structures. Her head finally started to clear. There were two king Mirelurks running at her. She reached for the revolver, but the holster was empty. Two sets of shockwaves converged on her. The ground rushed up to meet her face and her vision was so dizzying she had to close her eyes. She was helpless and she knew it. Maxx opened one eye. A glowing blob was almost on her and she squeezed her eyes tight, waiting for the worst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Its been a long week. I thought it might be nice to post early. I am now caught up with the writing. I'm hoping to work on it over the weekend. I'm feeling more than a little under water at the moment, so the writing should be a nice distraction. I appreciate everyone's kind words. Thanks for sticking with me. Feel free to leave comments. They make my day :)


	22. Chapter 22

The sound of gunshots resounded and bounced around her brain. She could do little more than clamp her hands over her ears and curl into a ball. The dizziness was overwhelming. Her head felt like it would burst open at any moment. At the same time she wanted to hurl her guts out. Things were so bad Maxx didn’t care if she died, so long as it was quick. She’d never felt this bad. There weren’t words to describe it.

There was a strong but gentle pressure around her body and a sensation of movement. Maxx couldn’t tell what was happening or which direction it was coming from. She could only crush her eyelids together, whimper, and let herself be taken away. 

***

Something cool washed across her forehead. Maxx’s eyes were slow to open and she squinted in the brightness. She touched a hand to her forehead feeling the dampness of the rag and a rough hand. The blurriness subsided and the man’s face came into focus 

Her voice was thin. “You came back.” Tears filled her eyes, rushing down the sides of her face. “I thought-” 

“Now, now Boss. You just rest up a bit. We can talk all about it later.” Gage stared into her eyes, observing her pupils. “Them things did a number on you.” He peeled the rag off of her forehead and refreshed it with canteen water. “How’s your head?” 

Maxx let her eyes close again. “Feels like a super mutant picked me up by my head.” She wiped at the wetness on her cheeks. “Gage?” 

“Hm?” 

“I’m sorry. I know I fucked up.” She paused. “You were right.” A deep breath. “Usually are.” 

Gage chuckled and gave her arm a squeeze. “Boss, I’m _always_ right.” 

She smiled weakly and patted his hand. “Yeah.” 

His posture stiffened. “Boss?” 

“Hm?” 

“How long you been sleepin’ with Mason?”

Her eyes flew open. “What?” 

“You heard me.”

Her first urge was to deny it. Change the subject, anything. But she didn’t have the energy and resigned. “Safari Kingdom.” 

Gage whistled low. “That explains a lot.” He rubbed at his chin. “So its serious then, huh?” 

“What?” Her features scrunched. “No.” 

“Uh huh.” 

“It’s not like that. It’s not _serious_ , we just… trust each other.” 

Gage looked concerned. “Boss I hope you’re not sayin’ what I think you’re sayin’.” 

“Look, a lot of shit happened in that hell hole. You saw what those fucking things could do.” She stopped to stare at his face. “How I froze.” 

The raider nodded, training his gaze on the horizon. 

“Well, there were a lot of those. He saved me. I saved him. And so it goes.” 

“Alright, Boss.” 

Her brows furrowed. “What?” 

“Nothin.” 

“What, Gage?” She was incredulous. 

“It’s just- y’know we do that kinda shit all the time and I don’t see you fuckin’ me.” He looked amused. 

She batted her eyelashes sarcastically. “Oh my stars. Gage! You never asked.” 

“Uh huh.” 

Maxx hated that he could read her like a book. “All this is beside the point. We’re done with all _that_.” The Overboss waved her hand, eschewing the topic away. 

“Maxine.” It was his warning tone. 

“Porter.” 

“Any one of ‘em gets word of this and they’ll all come for you.” 

“I know.” Her gaze drifted behind him. She fidgeted unconsciously. “How did you know?” 

“Well, you were real out of it- and I mean _real_ out of it- and you kept calling me Mason.” 

The two sat quietly, leaving much unsaid. She pulled the rag from her forehead and rubbed her eyes. 

“Don’t get up too quick now, Boss.” 

“I think I’m alright.” She peered around the room. “Where are we?” 

“Little office thing at the top of the stairs. Simple shelter, but good enough for now.” 

Maxx’s eyes darted around the room. 

“Don’t worry, Boss. I checked the rest of the perimeter while you were out. No more fishy friends up here.” 

She nodded slowly. “Gage?” 

“What, Boss?” 

“Why did you come back?” 

“Because you ain’t Colter. You got more of a plan than a problem.” He made a tipping motion towards his mouth. 

“Asshole.” She gave him a small smile. 

“You hungry?” He returned the grin. 

“Yeah.” 

“Hope you brought food then.” 

“Really?” 

Gage chuckled. “Nah, I stole your jerky.” 

She smacked him. “I missed this.” 

“Really?” He was playfully mocking. “‘Cause I didn’t.” He shoved a handful of the dried meat into his mouth. 

Maxx snatched the bag from him and tucked in. 

*** 

The two of them finished casing the exterior staircases. The only entrance was the original set of doors down the staircase. They stood across from one another, guns drawn, at either side of the doors. Maxx nodded and pushed a door open. She kept low and looked around. Gage followed quietly. The sound of water echoed around them. 

The room was a small hub filled with electronics. A console blinked at her from across the room. It was asking for a password. 

“Shit.” 

Gage shrugged at her. 

“I can’t hack this thing.” She stroked her chin. Computers usually had something useful to give. Whenever she couldn’t crack one, it left her with a morbid curiosity.

“Wait! I got it!” She pulled the employee ID from her pocket. 

Both of them froze at the electronic voice of the Assaultron. The sound of metallic grew closer, but it hadn’t found them yet. Maxx could just make out the dangerous head of the robot through a window. She motioned to Gage to stay low and crawled her way to the console. 

The raider stayed close to the doorway with his gun at the ready while she punched in the numeric code. Her face fell as the screen loaded.

 _Open security door? There’s no door in here…_  

Maxx sighed and smashed the enter key. 

 _Guess we’ll find out._  

The Assaultron had wound down and was back to pacing the perimeter below. Whatever door she’d unlocked didn’t seem to have any effects on the security bot. 

She crouched next to Gage and shrugged. He slapped his forehead with a palm and shook his head. 

“So what do you want to do?” She whispered next to his ear. “I have a frag mine, but one of us has to be the bait.” 

Gage huffed beside her. “S’pose you want me to be the bait.” 

“Aw, that was sweet of you to volunteer.” 

He rolled his eyes. 

“Here’s the mine.” She shoved it at him. “Wait to move until I’m in position.” Maxx was already tugging the rifle from her back. “I want a nice clean shot just in case.” 

Gage nodded. His muscles tensed in anticipation. As she flashed him a thumbs up, he stuck his head around the corner to study the layout. If he could toss it just right, the mine would land far enough away to keep them out of the blast radius. 

His eyes followed the Assaultron until is disappeared behind the assembly line. He kept low and tiptoed down the stairs to the next landing. From there, Gage took aim and swung his arm. One. Two. Three times. The mine landed with a light _thunk_ on the metal grate. 

The sound was enough to activate the robot’s defense mechanism. It chimed in with a metallic voice. “Weapons systems engaged. Locking onto target.” 

Maxx tracked it through the scope as Gage sprinted back towards the doorway. A blinding red beam shot from the Assaultron’s head. It narrowly missed the raider as he threw himself through the opening. 

 _Must’ve saved up a charge..._  

In the robot’s haste to eliminate the target, it stepped forcefully on top of the mine. The mechanism clicked and the automaton was flying. The aftermath was something out of a sci-fi thriller. Missing both legs and a good part of its torso, the Assaultron dragged itself towards their hiding spot with surprising speed. 

Maxx tracked the droid through the sight and squeezed the trigger. The bullet bounced off of the heavy metal plating. The next struck the exposed center and the Assaultron moved slower. 

 _C’mon…one more shot-_  

There was an electric pop and the robot was down. Gage flashed her a thumbs up. 

“Way to go, sharp shooter.”

 She chuckled. “Couldn’t have done it without my- _Get down_!”

Gage rolled out of the way. The bullets struck the metal exoskeleton. Most of them ricocheted across the room. In all of the commotion, neither of them had managed to hear the metallic clip-clops of another Assaultron. 

It rushed up to meet her with spinning claws. Maxx thrust the rifle forward into the spinning bionic hands.

“Hey tin can!” Gage was waving and trying to draw the bot’s attention. A bullet zinged past and hit the armored chest plate. The Assaultron prioritized the more immediate threat and cantered towards the raider. 

He was off like a rocket, taking the stairs outside two at a time. The aperture of the robots face opened. A faint red glow reflected off of the surrounding objects. 

Maxx wrenched the revolver from her hip and stumbled forward. There was a small window between the glowing warm up and the incinerating blast. She could hear the growing hum of the weapon. 

The Overboss was more confident. A smirk lit up her face as she trained the barrel on the Assaultron’s knee joints. She let the first shot find its mark before aiming at the opposite. Metallic shards exploded into the air in slow motion. Maxx smiled at the crawling mass and took the final shot. 

Gage whistled low, descending to her. “Looks like we’re getting’ back to normal, huh Boss?” 

She spun the revolver in her hand and stuck it in the holster with a haughty grin. “Looks like.” 

***

Maxx and Gage had spent several hours scouring the center of the bottling factory. The ride served as an outside moat, but anything interesting or useful was inside it. There were several terminals. Some had been useful, others not so much. Part of her was entranced by the behind-the-scenes nature of the area. There was a feeling like she was getting away with something. 

The strangest thing overall were the double doors that wouldn’t budge. She had squinted through the mesh, eyeballing the laser turrets. Maybe it was where the top-secret formulas were kept. Maybe it was something else. Maxx mentally earmarked the spot. 

The Overboss glanced at the Mirelurk corpses with a small smile. 

“Well Boss, looks like its time to make our way out there.” He nodded towards the moat. “Hope you’re in the mood for crab.” 

Maxx was already dashing up the stairs. “If nothing else, we can make some jerky.”

The door opened to a platform overlooking the scaled houses and buildings. She stepped lightly and studied the surrounding area. There were several clutches of eggs dug into the banks. Gage paused at her shoulder. 

“What’s the plan?”

 “Shoot ‘em from up here so we don’t have to go down there.” She was already steadying the rifle against her shoulder. “Like so.” 

The eggs popped open, spraying gelatinous goo. Maxx watched the eggshells roll around.

“Show off.” Gage moved to the opposite side. There was a commotion, and he tracked the Mirelurk with his own rifle. The creature screeched as the bullets hit its soft tissue. The raider was a patient hunter. He wouldn’t shoot at the shell. 

It didn’t take long for the beast to collapse. The two of them searched the water for more. 

“Gage,” her voice was a low whisper. “Hunter. There.” She jiggled the end of the gun. “You see it?” 

He nodded. Both raised their guns and nodded to one another. The bullets met their target and the giant lobster rolled limply into the water. 

It went on like this for some time. Maxx would lead them to a sniping spot and the crustaceans would fall. Currently, they stood next to the animatronics. The audio played on repeat as the automaton pantomimed mixing the top secret formula. 

The space had gotten hot and Maxx rolled her sleeves to her elbows. “Welp. Think that’s everything?” 

Gage looked thoughtful. “Prob’ly. We’ll want to walk the circuit to make sure though.” 

The Overboss stared down into the electric blue water with a scowl. “I hate it when my boots are wet.” She grabbed the revolver before hopping off of the platform and landing with a splash. There was a quick intake of breath. “This water is _cold_!” 

Her partner in crime laughed and followed her example. “Well shit Boss, you’re right.”


	23. Chapter 23

They slogged through the chilly water until Maxx’s teeth were chattering. She clamped her jaw together to keep her them from jackhammering. Gage glanced at her from time to time. There had been one Mirelurk straggler so far, and they’d almost made the complete circuit around the factory. 

“Boss, you alright?” 

She nodded fervently. 

He held a hand out to stop her and pointed ahead of them silently. It was a hunter. It made her nervous. She stuffed the revolver into her waistband and pried the rifle off of her back. Her hands were clumsy. The cold was making them stiff and unresponsive. 

“I g-got it.” The scope was already at eye level. The Overboss lined up the shot. She clenched her jaw in frustration watching the barrel of the gun bob. With a deep breath, she squeezed the trigger. The shot dinged the creature’s hard outer shell without doing much more. 

“Sh-shit.” Maxx fired off several more shots before Gage joined her. The hunter approached, getting too close for comfort. “Gage- we g-gotta p-put this thing down now!” Her arms and hands felt useless. 

A hiss escaped the giant lobster’s maw sending acid their direction. An errant drop hit her thigh. The sizzling sound made her drop to her knees. It drenched the revolver. She felt the shuddering below her and suddenly the scenery was spinning. The Overboss rolled backwards off of the Razorclaw’s shell. The echoing sounds in the tunnel muted as her head bobbed under the water. The cold forced the air out of her lungs. Her brain was chugging along trying to catch up. 

“Boss!” Gage was backing away from the Hunter towards the shoreline. He had to draw them off of her. “Here! Over here you sons a’bitches!” The raider took the shot and finally downed the hunter. He ignored the burning sensation on his forearm. The Razorclaw skittered towards him at an alarming speed as Maxx exploded from the water. 

She gasped for air, staring wide-eyed around her. Her movements were delayed. The sound of bullets pelting the Mirelurk’s shell brought her back to reality. Both of the guns were soaked. They were useless. 

“Gage!” Her second in command had disappeared around the corner. She was met with something like a yelp. 

“Look out Boss!” He was panting. “’S comin’ for you!” 

Maxx’s heart thudded against her chest. A claw peered around the corner. It was enough to make her run. Her brain was foggy. There was nowhere to run to, but there was no way she could take on the crab.

Her sides ached as she strained against the water. She could see the windows to the factory. There was no need to check over her shoulder. The sound of claws snapping told her the creature was closing in. 

Then she spotted it: a metal cage built into the wall. The heavy door sprawled outward. 

 _I just have to reach it and close the door. I just have to get there._  

The sight of her salvation was energizing. Her legs pushed through the water with renewed strength. The gate drew closer and closer… 

It took all of the Overboss’ remaining strength to jump up into the wire room. She threw her back into the door as the Razorclaw screamed and beat on the door. Her chest heaved as she gasped for breath. There were shots in the distance. They made a _plop plop_ sound impacting the water. The Mirelurk skittered away with a shrill cry. 

Maxx breathed a deep sigh of relief. She finally had a chance to look around the cell. The bright red power armor stood dormant in the center of the security cage. There was Nuka branding covering every inch of exposed steel. A grin spread across her face as she pushed herself up. 

“Nice.” 

Upon further inspection and to her pleasant surprise, the fusion core was at full power. The suit hissed open and she practically leapt inside. In her haste, she hadn’t heard Gage splashing around outside.

“You left me to kill that crab while you’re playing with toys?” 

Her voice was distorted through the speaker. “Can you believe we almost missed this?” 

Gage rolled his eyes and beckoned her. “C’mon. We’re done here.” He was grinning. 

Water smacked him in the face as Maxx jumped into the water.

“God damnit, Boss!” He wiped his face with a palm and stalked away from her, muttering under his breath. 

“Wait up!” She couldn’t stop herself from sniggering.

***

The Overboss followed to abstract shapes of the landscape with her eyes. The sun had long disappeared beyond the horizon and the night air was warmer than normal. She took a deep breath and let the smells mix in her nostrils. Smoke. Dirt. Dust. And something she couldn’t put her finger on… 

“Hey Boss.” Gage was drying his hair with a ratty towel. “How’re the Blacks doin’?” He wasn’t even trying to keep the contempt from his voice. 

“Well, I’d say they’re feeling much happier now that they have domain over two of the parks.” A chill ran down her spine. “Which means the Disciples won’t be pleased.” She stroked her chin, lost in thought. “Maybe if I…” 

“Boss?” 

“Mm?” 

“Maybe you should give yourself a night off. Y’know, rest? Or somethin’.” The raider pulled the tank top from around his neck and yanked it over his head. 

“Or something.” Maxx yawned and looked at the bed. She was tired, but her brain was still buzzing. Anxiety nipped at her insides. She felt naked. “Hey Gage?” 

“Yeah?” 

“You ever feel like we’re on display up here?”

He chuckled. “Sometimes.” 

Maxx nodded slowly. “Yeah.” She yawned again. 

“Think you’re feeling extra paranoid from lack of sleep though.” He nodded towards the bed. 

“Alright, I’ll sleep.” She was already climbing into the bed, muttering under her breath. 

Gage’s tone was softer. “I’ll stay up for a bit. Keep an eye on the place.” 

The Overboss nodded as her eyelids drooped. It took her no time at all to fall into a deep and troubled sleep. She tossed and turned through most of the night. By the time the sun finally peeked through the window she’d already been up for hours. 

She sat alone drinking what passed for coffee these days. Her fingers drummed against the cup. It was half empty and the liquid was cold. Maxx couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. It was occupying more of her mind than she would have liked. 

_Am I just being paranoid?_

She shook her head and stared out the windows. Her thoughts shifted to the gangs of Nuka World and the ire she’d unintentionally stirred up. Leaving the Disciples out of the game had tipped the scales. The metal-masked women were growing bolder with their disdain. Maxx knew deep down why it had taken her this long. She knew why the Disciples posed such a threat. They weren’t like the other gangs, motivated by money or respect. They were motivated by death. Slow, painful, and gory death. 

 _I’m gonna have to run some kind of job for them. But what? What is she going to ask me to do?_  

Her stomach churned at the thought. Most of the jobs took place outside of Nuka World- she’d observed that much. All the gangs had their errands. Most involved killing defectors or collaring traitors. It was the ugliest side of the Raider world. Even denial couldn’t totally explain it away, but it did a good job of pushing it from her mind most of the time.

The Overboss burst through the double doors and marched into the interior of the building. 

“I’m going to run a job for the Disciples. It’s the only way to keep them on our good side-” she continued to run on as she paced the length of the room. 

Her second in command rubbed his eyes, missing most of what she was babbling at him. She could go on for a long while like this. He was happy to wait for the summary at the end. There was a dull aching in his head. It was too early and he hadn’t gotten enough sleep playing watchdog. 

“Boss.” 

Maxx didn’t hear him. 

“Boss?” 

He could feel the wind she stirred up as she zinged past him for the umpteenth time.

“Boss!” 

She whipped her head around, looking indignant. “What?” 

“Christ, can you slow down a bit?” 

Maxx frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. “Fine.” She harrumphed and took a deep breath. “I have to run some kind of errand for Nisha.” 

The raider stiffened at the name. “Boss…” There was a warning in his tone. 

The Overboss leveled her gaze. “It’s the only way I can ease some of the tensions. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed the attitudes? The not-so-thinly-veiled threats?” 

He nodded. 

“And I’m not ready to rush into Nuka Galaxy. Too risky. And we’re not prepared.” She was beginning to pace again. “If I can run an errand for them, it’ll show _some_ good faith at least. Right?” 

“I suppose.”

“Then I’m gonna need your help.” She was grinning mischievously. “How would you like to fill in for the ol’ Overboss?” 

He groaned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, I'm still moving but the hub and I should be all the way moved after this weekend. It has already been a long week 
> 
> ʕ￫ᴥ￩　ʔ
> 
> I want to thank everyone for being so patient. I have not been able to carve out any writing time for the past week, so I look forward to getting back to it when things have settled. I hope you enjoy the update and happy hump day 
> 
> ʕ◉ᴥ◉ʔ


	24. Chapter 24

The road was thick with dust and eerie green was rolling in. She was going to have to find shelter and fast. Thunder rumbled and rolled across the landscape. The wind was picking up. Maxx felt relief wash over her at the familiar sight. It was the Red Rocket. _Her_ Red Rocket. 

_The sun that day had been absolutely blinding. The screeching and groaning lift had been deafening. She was dazed, disoriented. There were a million jumbled thoughts running through her head. Her limbs were lead and her stomach churned, leaving a puddle of bile on the rusted metal. There had been nothing to hold on to. Nothing to steady her. Everything was gone. The Vault was nothing but a tomb._

_She stumbled her way through Sanctuary feeling numb. Alone. Then there was the house. She saw it from a distance. It made her insides twist. She was resolute: there would be no seeking shelter there._

_Her feet managed to find their way across the wooden planks of the bridge. She paused to stare at the dead man and horribly mangled beast on the concrete. She knew she should feel horrified. Instead she was filled with a morbid curiosity. She studied him for a long while. Memorized the details of his face only to forget them again._

_Something had drawn her out of the trance and she noticed the bright red signage in the distance. The jingle from the now ancient ads ran through her head as she shuffled towards the defunct fueling station._  

The wind whipped up tiny tornadoes of dirt and leaves. Maxx jogged the rest of the way. She flung herself through the doorway and slid the heavy steel doors shut. Bright yellow-green bolts streaked across the sky. The landscape was enveloped in the otherworldly glow. It was time to hunker down inside the modest bedroom she’d made and wait for the storm to pass. 

She yawned and stretched her arms out. The bed could definitely have used some clean sheets. It didn’t matter. The Overboss was asleep before her head hit the pillow. The storm had long since passed by the time she awoke. 

*** 

 _So, Nisha wants me to kill someone. Of course she does._  

Maxx swooped her hair back and piled it under the wool cap to complete her ensemble. 

 _And they’re in Goodneighbor. Of course they are._  

She rolled her eyes and the plaid sleeves of the flannel. The Overboss thought it best to dress inconspicuously. Lucky for her, she’d been smart enough to keep a cache of leather armor stashed away. It wasn’t the best, but Maxx wasn’t planning on a lot of action. Deep down she didn’t want there to be any. 

 _A contract killer. What the hell am I doing?_  

The backpack had a nice amount of slack as she stuffed the rest of her gear into it. Goodneighbor was as least two days away. Possibly more if she ran into trouble. Her choice to pack light was no coincidence. She breathed an unconscious sigh and swung the bag over her shoulder. The rifle would have to be left behind. Psychedelic colored guns would be a dead giveaway. This was a quiet job. What had the Disciples said? 

 _We like to keep things up close and personal._  

A shiver ran the length of her spine. Try as she might, Maxx couldn’t square the idea of cold-blooded murder. 

“Once was enough.”

_She was angry. Livid. Blinded by hot rage. How could Shaun be…this? He had called her mother, but she’d known the truth. She was a curiosity to him. A remnant of the distant past. His upbringing had made him cold, calculating._

_And how. Fucking. Dare. He._

_She stared at the robotic clone. It was horrifying. A cruel, ugly joke. She’d dragged herself through physical and mental hell trying to find him. Her last connection to a world long dead. It had been her desperate obsession: Find him. Find Shaun. Only she found…_ him _instead._

_She had never been this angry. It was indescribable. Her rational mind was gone. Vengeance. It was what they deserved. All of them. Vengeance. That hollow copy of a lost child. Vengeance. They would all pay. There was no choice. They had to die. She had to make them._

_Shaun. No,_ the android _had stared up at her with that look in his eyes. But no, no she would not accept the fake. The original was gone. She wouldn’t bother to say goodbye to his copy._

_All of the hatred. The grief. The rage. She spat on the ground in front of his feet as the steel walls gave way to the blue electric surge. And suddenly, she was on an unfamiliar rooftop._

_The explosion had filled the darkness with brilliant orange. It was raining fire. The flames reflected off of glass windows far below. The vigilantes all around her had cheered. All she could see was the boy’s face._

She cringed and pushed thoughts of the smoldering hole in the ground from her mind. Was the target innocent? Guilty? What were Nisha’s standards for judgment? The thoughts swirled around her mind. After a while her senses returned and she blinked. The Overboss had travelled several miles. The scenery had all blurred together as the sun made a slow arc across the sky. 

The rest of the day was uneventful. She spent the night in an abandoned house just off the highway. 

***

The city proper loomed ahead. She squinted through the binoculars. There was nothing out of the ordinary along the periphery. She’d travelled through the city enough times to know better.

Maxx had chosen to tackle the city in the early morning. It was easier to get by undetected in the dark. Most of the looming threats would be asleep or passed out. The only real issue would be the ferals and they were few and far between. 

The closer she got to her destination, the more her stomach churned. There was some relief at the familiar lights of Diamond City in the distance. It meant at least a few protected blocks. That meant breathing room. Part of her wanted to go in. Part of her wanted to sit jovially and eat Takahashi’s noodles. She shook her head. 

 _Not a good idea._  

The chugging turrets gave way to the deceptive calm of empty streets. Gravel and garbage crunched under her boots. The air was chilly and goosebumps sprang from both arms. There was an unearthly aura surrounding the area. Her gut told her that something was up. Something didn’t feel right.

There was a metallic rattle like a spray paint can behind her. A quick intake of air and her eyes went wide. Maxx sprinted forward as fast and far away as she could. She mentally counted down and waited for the blast. The debris kicked up by the explosion rushed past the side of her face. She’d narrowly made it around the corner in time. Her ears perked, listening for further danger. 

“Where’d that little bitch go?” It was a woman’s voice. Sounds of footsteps echoed down the corridor. 

Maxx slowed her breathing and scanned the area. Goodneighbor was so close… But she’d have to sneak past the raider camp and slip down the back alley. There were no further signs of her attacker. 

_Now or never._

It occurred to her while she sprinted between the groaning steel that settler digs might have made her more of a target. At the sound of more raiders hollering between each other, Maxx threw herself into the wall of the building. She grimaced at the shock of pain and gritted her teeth. 

 _Up and over the hill. That’s all I gotta do. Get up and over that hill._  

There was a dull light over the decrepit bookstore across the street. A semi trailer had skidded to a halt just in front of it 200 years prior. The Overboss peered around the corner and groaned inwardly. Several raiders patrolled the platform. It was going to take even more time to get past them. 

She backtracked and crossed the street unseen. The hill loomed in front of her and she smiled. Adjusting her pack, she climbed the pile of ancient garbage. The pink and blue neon cast a purple glow on everything around the sign. _Goodneighbor_. Maxx read the name with a grin. 

A low growl startled her self-congratulations. The mutated dog snarled and bared its teeth. Maxx backed away slowly and avoided making eye contact. It advanced slowly until it had driven her to the top of the hill again. Her grip tightened around the revolver. As the dog lunged the shots bit into its mangled flesh. It landed at her feet with a whimper. She watched the carcass roll back down the pile. 

The gunshots had garnered the attention of the raiders and bullets zinged past her. Maxx’s mistake was turning around to get a better look at them. Her ankle twisted awkwardly as the ground shifted under her feet. The Overboss found herself falling backwards. Her pack softened the landing and she somersaulted to the bottom. 

The world was spinning. Maxx blinked. She could make out the figures closing in. There was a hot burst of pain in her arm. The blood felt warm rolling past her elbow. Her vision cleared and she made a decision. It was time to run. 

Ignoring the pain in her bicep, Maxx clambered her way up the hill again. This time she jumped off the top and landed hard on her feet. It was a quick sprint to the blue door. She wrenched it open and threw herself inside. 

_She breathed heavily, unsure if the door was actually going to keep the raiders out. The 10mm was solid in her hand. There was the slightest tremor running down her arm. If the simple blue door kept the raiders at bay, what did that say about the people of Goodneighbor?_

_She’d practically sprinted across Boston. Supermutants and raiders seemed to meet her at every turn. She’d been desperate, stumbling into the dimly lit alley. She’d barely read the letters before forcing herself through the portal._

_And then that asshole had tried to take her for a ride, talking about “insurance.” She’d figured out quickly that a Vault suit made Wastelanders assume certain things. It had been easy to use it to her advantage. This time was no exception._

_The gun popped twice. A small stream of red trickled out of the star shaped hole in his forehead. It followed the contours of the heckler’s face and pooled under his head. She didn’t like that it was getting easier to pull the trigger._

*** 

She’d forgotten how dingy the Hotel Rexford was. Didn’t matter- it was cheap. Maxx had made damn sure to give the concierge a decent tip. What were a few caps when it came to keeping strangers out of her room? 

There was a little red stain on the bandage around her arm. She studied the matching sleeve on her shirt with a sigh. 

 _At least it was just a graze._  

The Overboss dug through the dusty bag. The small metal tin rattled as she fished it out. Inside were needles, several miniature spools of thread, and a tiny pair of scissors in the shape of a bird. She’d already rinsed the blood out of the well worn fabric. It was ready for mending. 

There was something about sewing up holes that relaxed her. It was slow and sometimes tedious. Every rip, tear, and hole was a scar. A reminder of where she’d been and how much things had changed.

Maxx breathed deep and wet the tip of the thread with her tongue. The strand slipped through the eye effortlessly. She wrapped the length around her fingers and pulled the knot tight. Her mind drifted. 

_Every scar has a story._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not dead!  
> I have moved houses, had 2 job interviews, will probably have more interviews, the dog got some staples (he's ok! and hysterical wearing a cone), had some family drama on both sides of the aisle, and been chugging away at work.
> 
> Long story long- I have been extremely busy. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please feel free to leave kudos and comments :)
> 
> Happy Monday!


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight gore warning. Not explicit, but its there.

She’d done a good job keeping her head down. The local muscle, citizens, and visitors would demand caps if one asked directly. The information was free if you hung around and eavesdropped long enough.

The Overboss blew a lazy smoke ring into the sky. Her eyes scanned the length of the bar as she swallowed the malt. Charlie’s beer was god-awful, but it did the trick. If the Cockney robot had recognized her, he was keeping it to himself.

_What would you expect from a bartender in Goodneighbor?_  

The knit cap was making her head itch in the humid darkness. There wasn’t a chance of her taking it off. She tamped out the dying cigarette and turned around on the stool. Her elbows rested on the counter. Maxx did her best to keep her expression neutral. Here she was just a tired traveller looking for a good stiff drink. No one need suspect otherwise. 

The word on the street was that a newcomer –a woman- had rolled into town wearing a metal mask. She’d been staying somewhere in town, but not the Rexford. The newcomer would slide in for a nightcap most evenings. She didn’t speak unless she was ordering a drink and left as soon as she was finished. 

Maxx had arrived early. She wasn’t disappointed. There was a reason people were talking about the girl. It started with the deep gash down one side of her face. It was fresh and tender pink. Her eye was taped over.

_Probably lost it when she got that wound._  

Her hand dragged over the aging scars on her own neck automatically. 

_She had dropped off the map. More accurately, she had dropped herself off the map. The Red Rocket? Empty. Abandoned. Diamond City? Hadn’t seen her in a while. Goodneighbor? Nope, she hadn’t blown through lately. _

_Instead, the Hero of the Railroad had packed up. Her only possessions in the world were strapped to her back. The revolver was glued to her hip. Her boots were laced tight and a permanent frown creased her forehead._

_It had all been for nothing. It had all been too much. She couldn’t look at the smiling faces. Couldn’t take another “congratulations!” pat on the back. She had never understood the Railroad’s verve for the mechanical people. They just happened to be the only way to get the Shaun._

_She had wandered for days. For miles. Farther than she had ever travelled across the expanse of the Commonwealth. The outskirts were wilder. There were more dangers. Angrier, meaner creatures stalking their prey…_

_The attack was fast._

_It was one of the little moments of distraction. Forgetting for just a moment what roamed the wasteland. She’d ambled up a hill, probably humming some bygone tune. The weather had been nice. When she reached the top of the hill and looked down time stopped. Their eyes met. She could feel the adrenaline slowly pump its way through her veins. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end._

_The beast loped towards her, quickly closing the gap between them. Her body tensed. She sprang forward and ducked the raking claws. The Deathclaw bellowed behind her as she picked her way over a patch of rocks. One foot in front of the other. She was graceful. Nimble. Suddenly in pain and tumbling forward._

_The coarse surface scraped up exposed skin on her arms and face. She landed hard on her back. Stars danced in front of her eyes. A wave of dizziness rocked her body. A noise behind her. She turned her head slowly, barely inching around._

_She felt the razorblades dig deep as they scooped through the tissue like ice cream. Consciousness was leaving her. The monster’s image burned itself into her eyes. Everything went black._

Maxx shook the memory from behind her eyes, refocusing on the target. The stranger met her gaze and held it for an uncomfortable amount of time. She stood slowly and turned to climb the stairs. Her body slumped slightly. 

_An injury?_

Maxx was almost positive the damage had been some kind of punishment. She gave the woman a head start before sliding from her own seat. Ham eyed her suspiciously.

Outside the doors, she caught sight of the Disciple rounding a corner. Maxx followed silently. She frowned. Her target had disappeared and she wasn’t in the mood for hide and seek. There were two possible directions. The longer she waited, the farther away the woman got. 

_If I were trying to avoid people, which would I take?_  

Truth was, either would have been a good choice. The Overboss followed her gut and ducked down an alley. She clenched her jaw, finding a dead end. 

“Shit.” She whispered. 

“Why you following me?” The woman’s voice was gruff as she strolled into the hallway. 

Maxx’s first instinct was to stall. She let the silence hang in the air for a moment, sizing the raider up. 

“Isn’t it obvious?” 

The woman practically hissed. “ _She_ sent you.” 

The Overboss nodded. The whole conversation made her feel dirty. She thought she had worked up the nerve, but… 

“I just got away from them crazy bitches! I was going to take my life back-“ 

“How am I supposed to believe that? You’re a raider. A _Disciple_.” Maxx raised her gun. They were in such close proximity she didn’t even need to line up the sights. 

There was fear and anger in the woman’s remaining eye. “Do you know what it took to get away from that fucking nightmare? Having to sneak around? Pretend to enjoy chopping people into little fucking pieces?” Her eye was wide. “I’ve run with Nisha for 5 years. Five. Fucking. Years. And I couldn’t do that shit anymore. I couldn’t murder and chop up another person.” Her hand was on the grip of her knife. “But if you wanna off me, I’m not goin’ down without a fight.

Maxx holstered the gun and slowly took a step forward. She raised her arms. 

“Look, truth is I didn’t want this job. I don’t want to kill you.” She inhaled and exhaled slowly. “But you know Nisha better than I do. If I were to let you go- and that’s a big if-” Maxx sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “Why should I help you?”

_She had awoken to hissing whispers. They seemed to be arguing in the quiet of the early morning. There was a deep throbbing in her shoulder. Her face twisted as she strained to listen. There was no escape- she could barely move without a wave of dizziness that made the room spin. She swallowed hard and relaxed back into the pile of pillows. Her eyes scanned the room slowly. There wasn’t much to see past the dingy floral curtain surrounding the twin bed. There was a side table with a lamp beside her. Various medical leftovers were evidence of treatment, though the extent of the damage was hidden under thick bandaging._

_The groan was automatic as fresh pain washed over her left side. The whispers stopped and a grease-covered hand slid the curtain to the side. It belonged to a man wearing sunglasses flashing her a grin._

_“Looks like we woke the skirt.” He chuckled._

_“Wow, lookin’ better. Check out the color comin’ back.” A woman was peering over his shoulder. “Your lucky Duke found ya’ out there.”_

_“H-how bad?” She studied their faces, ignoring the strange sensation on the left side of her mouth._

_“Let’s just say we used a lot of Stims. Puttin’ people back together ain’t nearly as easy as it is with power armor.” The woman chuckled. “I’m Roxy by the way. This here’s Zeke.”_

_The information swirling around in her brain suddenly clicked. “You…saved me.”_

_“Of course- well, Duke did the saving. He brought you back here and we patched you up.” Their faces were earnest._

_“W-Why?”_

_“Because you needed help.”_

Maxx rested her hand over the fading scar. She blinked and refocused on the raider in front of her. The woman was struggling to come up with an organized response. The Overboss stepped forward and closed the gap between them. She mumbled under her breath. 

“Because you need help.” 

“Huh?” The woman looked confused. 

“Nothing. Look- I’ll help you.” She folded her arms. “But we gotta figure out a way to prove you’re dead.” 

“I can do that.” There was something sinister in her smile. “But its not gonna be pretty.” 

Maxx grimaced. “Putting those life skills to work, huh? What do we need to do?” 

*** 

Her stomach churned at the smell. They had gotten lucky making the rounds near Goodneighbor. It had never been Maxx’s favorite part of the Commonwealth. Too many raiders and Supermutant hoards. 

“Look, I’ll take care of the…gross part.” The raider motioned for her to turn away. 

“I’m alright.” She swallowed hard and tried not to focus on the flesh or the knife. Her eyes drifted to the strands of hair. The color was almost a perfect match. The bone structure had been pretty close too. 

At least they hadn’t had to kill her. She was one of many corpses, probably a casualty of the daily skirmishes in the middle of the city. The partners in crime had scoured the streets. Masks had been stripped off until one revealed a similar-looking face. It had been close enough, considering what they were going to do with it. 

“Alright I got it. The head’s off, mask is on. Your turn, Overboss.” 

Maxx’s grasp tightened around the revolver. 

_Good thing trick shots come easy._  

She inhaled slowly and stopped to hold her breath. Lining the target up seemed to take a lifetime. In a split second it was _right_ and the bullet zinged through the alley, tearing through iron and lifeless eye socket. 

The Disciple gave a whoop and pumped her fist in the air. “Damn, you’re a good shot Boss.” 

Maxx nodded slowly. The damage was extensive, but enough bone and tissue remained to make it a convincing trophy. Throwing in the raider woman’s knife would complete the illusion. 

“I need a drink.” The revolver sunk into the holster. “A strong one.”

She was more than happy to let the now ex-Disciple gather what was left of the corpse into a waxed canvas sack. The journey back was not going to be pleasant. 

***

Their goodbyes had been brief after a night of drinking. Maxx had slipped her a bag of caps and wished her well after giving her an unnecessary warning to steer clear of the park. In spite of the grizzly circumstances, she felt good about the outcome. 

The night air was chilly as the blue door closed behind her. The Overboss spent the remainder of her time in the city wondering if anyone had recognized her in Goodneighbor. She liked to think they remembered her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im not dead!
> 
> Its been a roller coaster of a month. Lots of moving, unpacking, stress, and life happening. Things are finally starting to settle and I look forward to getting back on schedule. I considered waiting to post this until I had a few more chapters under my belt... but nah.
> 
> I hope you all have been doing well and that it hasn't been too much of a wait. As always, comments/kudos are always appreciated!


	26. Chapter 26

The sack dropped with a heavy splat on the table.

“I did your dirty work. As promised, one dead traitor.” 

Nisha nodded slowly, never taking her eyes off of the Overboss. “I guess someone is getting smart.” 

The Disciple leader gave the bottom of the bag a quick tug and watched with interest as the head landed face up in front of them. Maxx’s eyes watered at the stench, but she held her commanding expression. 

“I expect there’s payment for my services?” 

“Of course.” 

A bag of caps arced past the masked woman. Maxx followed the trajectory to see Savoy standing at a distance. His arms were folded and his mouth was a grim line. 

“Savoy.” She swiped her payment from the filthy tabletop and nodded towards him. 

He grunted. 

“Thanks for the caps.” She was already snapping the pocket closed. 

“I’ll let you know if anything else comes up.” 

Maxx waved over her shoulder. “Sure thing.” 

***

“You smell like shit, Boss.” Gage was clapping her on the back. 

“Happens when you cart a severed head across the Commonwealth.” 

His face contorted. “Well, damn.” 

“Anything of note happen while I was running my little errand?” She unfastened the various buckles holding her gear in place. “Did you declare yourself king?” 

He chuckled and shook his head. “Nah, emperor is more my style.” 

“Should’ve figured.” She slung the gun belt over a chair. “Anything happen with the bottling plant?” 

“Not much can be done without the main power bein’ on, but the Operators have set up shop.” 

“The Disciples?” she pulled the grungy flannel over her head and tossed the wool cap on top. 

“Pissy, but manageable. I imagine they’ll be slightly less so now.” His forehead creased. 

“What?” She had tipped herself into a chair and worked to unlace her boots. 

“The uh, the Pack’s doin’ good.” 

Maxx nodded. She picked at a particular knot and felt her face flush.

He continued. “So what’s the plan?”

She looked guilty. “You’re probably not going to like it and say what you will, but it makes sense.”

“Boss don’t tell me-”

“Kiddie Kingdom.” 

“But you’re not giving it to-” 

“Yes, I am.”

“Maxine.”

“Porter.”

They stared each other down. 

“Look, will you just listen?” She was frowning. “Kiddie Kingdom is next on the list. I was going to give it to the Pack no matter what.” 

“Maxx…” There was a warning in his tone. “It’s a bad idea, Boss.” 

“It’s _not_ a bad idea. Look, I just took care of a problem for the Disciples. They’ll be content for a little while-” 

“I wouldn’t be so sure.” His arms were folded. 

“Trust me. I’ve _got_ this.” She rested a hand on his shoulder. Her gaze was intense. “I promise this is going to work. I’ll _make_ it work.”

He gave a hesitant nod. “Alright Boss. But you’d better watch your back out there. We can’t afford any fuck ups right now.”

“Gage…” she was giving him the look.

“No. Whatever it is, my answer is no.”

“You don’t even know what I was going to ask.” 

“What is it?”

“I need you-” 

“Oh I know where this is going-” 

“To watch the place while I’m gone.” 

Gage sighed, but acquiesced. “You sure you wanna go alone?” 

The sudden color in her cheeks gave it away. 

“You fuckin’ kidding me, Boss? Do you have some kinda death wish?”

“Damnit, Gage its not like that!” A boot went sailing across the room and hit the door with a thud. “You can’t go and I need someone I can trust watching my back.” 

He stared hard at her. “Maxine- you get caught and that’s the end’a things.” 

She glared at him. “There’s nothing to catch. I told you. That’s done. Over. Finished. Kaput.” 

“For someone who ain’t concerned, you sure seem concerned.” 

“Fuck off.” She gave him a friendly shove and headed for the doors. “I’m taking a shower.” 

Gage hung his head, muttering under his breath. 

*** 

“Kiddie Kingdom.” Maxx was staring across the table. 

“You have my attention.” Mason stroked his goatee, looking amused. 

The two of them had agreed to meet in a more open area to discuss the next park. The bar seemed as good a place as any. 

“You got power armor?” She swirled her drink. 

“What, you think that shit grows on trees?” He chuckled. “ ‘Sides, what the fuck would I need power armor for around here?” 

“Sitting around in a chair all day? You wouldn’t.” The Overboss grinned into her glass. 

“You came to me for help. Might wanna change your tone.” He mimicked her grin. 

“No help, no park.” It was the same old dance. 

“Well, _boss_ \- like I said. I ain’t got power armor.” 

Maxx got quiet. Her eyes lingered on the remaining whiskey in her cup. Mason studied her face while she pondered. It was a deeper shade of tan since he’d last seen her. The vertical scar on her lips seemed lighter in comparison. The sunlight brought out the yellow in her eyes and the warm reds and browns hiding in her hair. His mind drifted back to the treehouse. 

“We’re heading to a place that will make you glow in the dark. Means you’re gonna need it.” She was drumming her fingers on the edge of the glass, thinking aloud. 

“Huh?” Mason shook the images from his head. 

She sighed, meeting his gaze. “Power armor.” 

“I told you, I don’t have any.” 

“I _know_ that.”

‘Then why are we still talking about it?” He was annoyed. 

“Mason, have you ever even worn power armor?” She shot him a wry smile. 

“The fuck’s that matter?” He crossed his arms and propped his legs up on an empty chair. 

“Because I need to know if I have to train your sorry ass.” 

“What do _you_ think?” His stare was intense. Angry. 

Mason’s contrarian attitude was different than his usual pissing contest banter. Something was really gnawing at him. She sensed the change, and softened. “If you haven’t, I want to walk you through it. It takes a lot of work to keep up with the suits. They have to be maintained so yo- so _the wearer_ is safe.” 

The pack master glared past her. His grip on the beer bottle was tight. “No. Never came across any.” 

“Alright, that gives us a place to start.” Maxx swirled the rest of the whiskey before gulping it down. The overturned glass clacked audibly. A stray drop ran down her chin. “I’ll see you bright and early tomorrow morning. We’ll hike out there before the day gets too hot.” 

“Aw, _boss_ \- I’m touched that you remembered I’m an early bird.” He put a hand on his chest in jest. 

“I’ve got an excellent memory.” She tapped her temple with an unlit cigarette. The lighter clicked open and for a moment there was a flame in her eyes. “Some things you just can’t forget.” 

The Overboss blew a cloud of smoke his way, happy that it kept him from being able to read her expression. “See you tomorrow. Seven a.m.” She didn’t bother to look back. 

_It’s done. Over. Finished. Kaput._  

*** 

There was a part of her that was relived that Gage had stayed awake through the predawn hours. He was in a deep sleep in the most uncomfortable-looking position one could imagine. She busied herself putting basic gear together, getting dressed and scarfing down some semblance of breakfast. The sun was still low on the horizon, but seven o’clock was fast approaching. 

_Shit. I never told him we were meeting downstairs._

Maxx sighed and crammed the rest of the sweet roll into her mouth. She left her boots loosely laced and stalked towards the dirty white elevator doors. The button clicked several times in her haste, though why she was in a hurry she didn’t know.

The elevator hummed as it descended. Maxx tapped her foot impatiently and studied the minute details of the walls and letting her mind wander. The bell dinged as the lift hit the ground floor. She busied herself studying and chewing at her nails. Her forehead impacted something solid and it knocked her backwards with a yelp. She sprang back up, ready to pounce. 

Mason stared down at her wordlessly. The only sound was the slow whine of the metallic doors closing behind her. He was close enough to stick his hand in the opening. Both of them watched silently as the doors rolled back out of sight. 

He gripped her by the hips and steered her back into the metal box. His eyes were hungry as he smashed the button for the top floor. Maxx could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. The pack master’s hands slid backwards and he yanked her to him with a firm grip on her asscheeks. 

His breath was in her ear “I want you.” He nipped at her neck and ran his fingers through the back of her hair. His hot breath around her collar sent small, pleasurable shivers down both of her arms. 

“Wait.” She reached past him and punched the bright red button on the console. The lift shuddered to a stop. They stared each other down. Their hearts pounded in their respective chests. It was a game of chicken: who was going to break the stillness? 

Mason’s hands shot back to her hips as he steered her towards the back corner. His mouth was urgent as her back touched the cool metal. 

Maxx gripped the back of his neck, pulling all of him closer. She could feel the insistent stiffness as their hips pressed together. Mason stepped back and ripped the belt strap from around her waist. Deft fingers pinched and squeezed at the metal button. The zipper slid down easily. She guided his hand under the elastic and cotton. He reached down and probed at the opening. 

“You’re so wet.” The pack master’s breath quickened. There was a wild look in his eyes as he slid his hand out. His fingers curled around the waistband of her jeans and he wrenched them towards the ground. He slid calloused hands up and over her thighs, closing them around her middle. 

The Overboss’ hands skimmed the tops of his and tightened around his grip. Their lips and tongues wrestled. Her hands danced to the belt circling his waist. She worked the buckles open easily, letting the strap drop to the floor. Her fingers traced the lines of his abdomen and followed the descending ginger curls under the waistband. 

He bucked at the chill of her fingertips with a sharp intake of breath. Maxx smirked at the fierce look of desire on his face. Mason watched the amusement play at the corners of her mouth and his grip on her tightened. As he spun her around, his hands were sliding the patterned cotton down her thighs. They landed softly against the crumpled heap of jeans. One strong hand held her back to him while the other migrated south. 

The Overboss let loose a small moan. He massaged her with tender, circular motions until she was writing against him. She could feel the brush of fur as his pants slid to the floor. Mason leaned over her and gave her neck another sharp nip. His lips tickled the back of her ear. 

“Are you ready?” His words were thick with desire. Her hair brushed the side of his face as she nodded.

The pack master shuddered in anticipation. He was unable to keep his appetite under control. The rugged skin on his palm dragged the length of her back. He urged her to bend forward and bit his bottom lip to keep from making noise. The throbbing intensified until he couldn’t stand it. Mason entered her overeagerly. The wet warmth was ecstasy. He thrust wildly.

Maxx gripped the handrails and tried to muffle her vocal responses. She didn’t have to instruct him this time. In his fervor, he plunged deep. Mason increased his speed with each thrust, unable to curtail his lust. He could feel her start to tense. His hand found her front again and his rubbed rough circles. Her restrained moans drove him crazy. Memories of her tugging at his hair pushed him over the edge and he climaxed, feeling her shudder below him. 

The two of them let the last energetic jolts shoot through their bodies and relaxed. Maxx unwound her hands from the bars as Mason slipped out of her. His hands were gentle on her sides as he coaxed her around to face him. His kiss was tender, lingering. He held her close to him. A soft smile crossed his face as the Overboss rested her lips against his shoulder in a kiss. She paused, looking at the floor.

 

_It’s done. Over. Finished. Kaput._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Saturday! Hope you enjoyed!   
> Want to thank Voxel for her comments- they really gave me some creative energy! 
> 
> Still chugging forward with an end in mind! Stay tuned for Power Armor, radiation, ghouls, and Oswald?
> 
> Comments/kudos/feedback always make me smile. Feel free to check out my main tumblr @biggreenfeet AND my Nuka World tumblr @theraiderradiostation


	27. Chapter 27

“You know we don’t know anything about each other.” She was pulling her pants up and avoiding the look he was giving her. “And the sex is great and all.” The buckles jingled as she brought the gun belts to her waist. “But I don’t even know if I like you as a person.” Maxx swiped the revolver off of the floor, dropping it into the holster with a flourish. “So don’t go getting ideas in your head about this.” 

“Well, _boss_ so long as we’re keepin’ it simple, you don’t need to like me.” He smirked. “But you tell me this kinda shit every time we fuck.” The packmaster raised a sly brow. “But you keep comin’ back.” 

“ _You_ came _here_ today.” She was annoyed. 

“So did you.” He was chuckling at the way her brows knit themselves together. 

“Go fuck yourself.” 

“Whoa, whoa.” Mason put his hands up in mock fear. “Pullin’ out the big guns.” 

The Overboss wasn’t sure why his taunts were making her so angry. “My guns’ll be the last thing you see if you don’t shut the fuck up.” 

He blanched. “Damn, boss.” 

Her hands were already fumbling with a crumpled pack of cigarettes. She pounded the emergency button with her fist and felt the elevator shudder back to life. A cloud of smoke followed her out the doors as they stepped into the darkened room. 

Mason looked around curiously. Junk was scattered around the room. There was no telling scrap from trash. A suit of power armor stood across from them. He could just make out the features of the Nuka Girl on the ancient plating. 

Maxx disappeared through a doorway and he heard the refrigerator door groan in protest. She appeared again chugging a Nuka Cola. The packmaster eyed her while she stared at the hulking set of armor. 

“Time for you to learn all about Power Armor Mr. _Alpha_.” 

*** 

The Power armor sprang open and Maxx climbed out. She pretended not to notice the way he looked her up and down. She already missed the barrier of hulking steel between them. 

“Well, we’re here.” She gestured around. Above them were the sweeping monorail tracks. 

Mason wiped the sweat from his forehead and put his hands on his hips. “Guess so.” 

The Overboss dusted her hands off on her thighs. “You ready?” She squinted behind sunglasses.

He chuckled, smoothing his mustache. “Can’t be _that_ hard. I mean- _you_ do it.” 

“Keep pissing me off and you’ll be taking back Kiddie Kingdom with a permanent Rad Away drip in those bulky arms of yours.”

She gestured to the wheel on the back and rapped her knuckles against it. “First thing’s first. You gotta have a fusion core. Without it, you are lifting and moving this frame yourself.” 

 

_She traced the T-60 frame with her eyes as he spoke, pointing out various parts on the armor._

_“So remember,” he continued, “always have a power core on ya.” He winked over the top of the dark sunglasses. “Dig?”_

_She rolled her eyes, but nodded nonetheless. “You know I have previous experience with this crap, right?” Her arms were folded._

_“Refresher never hurt nobody.” Zeke frowned. “But I guess we can skip the beginner stuff.”_

_The amusement in his smile raised her brow. “And what does that mean?”_

_“Looks like the head of the class is movin’ up. Grab a rag and a wrench, Jack. We got work to do.”_

 

She twisted the wheel and stepped back reflexively as the suit hissed open. 

“Now, you’re taller than me so we’re gonna have to adjust things a bit.” Her eyes moved between the pack master and the exoskeleton. She tapped the screwdriver thoughtfully against her nose. “Stand up straight.”

Mason complied. He stared down at her as she knelt and began adjusting the limb joints.

“How’d you learn to do that?” He was watching with interest.

She didn’t look up. “Some friends taught me.” 

“You had friends?” 

The screwdriver stopped suddenly and she was glaring up at him. “Yes, once upon a time I had _friends_. That so hard to believe?” Maxx was digging into the dwindling pack of cigarettes.

“Don’t strike me the overly social type- unless there’s liquor involved.” 

Maxx stared up at him with a neutral expression. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Mason.” She exhaled a plume of smoke at him. “Best it stays that way.” With a little bow, she turned her attention back to the power armor. 

“I know enough, _boss_.” He grumbled under his breath. 

The Overboss pretended not to hear him and remained quiet until the adjustments were complete. Another spent cigarette arced through the air and landed at his feet. 

Mason jumped at the sudden sound of her voice. 

“Alright.” She got to her feet and clapped her hands off. “Should be good to go.” 

“So… what am I supposed to do?” He eyed the armor as if it was going to suddenly come alive and eat him. 

There was a tug on his arm and she was pointing forward. “See inside the feet?” 

The pack master nodded slowly. 

“There’s a platform there to step on.” She pointed at the shoulders. “Inside there are some handgrips. You use them to pull yourself up while you step into the feet.” 

“And then what?” He seemed wary. 

“Once you’re inside, the suit closes around you and you get to feel like you’re a giant robot.” 

He turned, looking down at her face. There was a slight crinkle at the edges of her mouth. She met his gaze, remembering at that moment just how tall he was. 

Maxx felt her cheeks warm and dropped her hand from his bicep. “Well? Get in there. We don’t have all day.” It was a weak recovery. 

The pack master shook his head ever so slightly. “Yeah, alright _boss_.” 

Following her directions, the suit hissed around him. 

***

They had taken the rest of training day to pack, agreeing to meet at the Red Rocket. When they got there it was raining. The oversized World of Refreshment bottles were barely visible through the haze. The duel suits of power armor stood dormant in the garage with puddles beneath them. 

Mason watched Maxx chew at her fingers, staring through the curtain of water. A breeze swirled through the structure and she shivered. Goosebumps rose over her bare arms, but she didn’t seem to notice. 

He propped his feet on the counter and laced his hands behind his head. “Staring it down ain’t gonna make it stop, y’know.” 

“ _Really_?” Her mouth formed an _o_ of feigned shock. “Well, shit I’ve done it all wrong for _years_ then.” 

She shook her head and went back to biting her nails. The sound of thunder rumbling in the distance gave her pause. Her eyes widened at the electric green clouds. They had materialized seemingly out of nowhere. 

“God damn it.” Her hand dropped from her face. Maxx turned her attention to him. “C’mon.” Without a backward glance, she stalked towards the centrally nestled room. 

Mason lumbered after her with a grunt of protest and paused at the doorframe. He wanted one last look at the brewing tempest. “Looks like a nasty one.” The door closed behind him. 

“We should be alright in here.” The orange glow of the lantern traced the contours of her face. She butterflied her legs in the chair and took in the familiar surroundings. “Dunno how many times I’ve stayed in this room at this point.” The sound of radioactive lightning cracked above them. 

“Little home away from home?” The packmaster settled his oversized frame against the door. 

“This _isn’t_ my home.” 

“Home is where your head rests. Don’t gotta be fancy. Don’t gotta be permanent.” There was a far away look on his face as he stroked his goatee. 

The momentary silence was uncomfortable. Maxx drummed her fingers against her thigh. She was itching for a cigarette, but the enclosed space wouldn’t allow for it. Her mind wandered. 

 

_Sunlight beamed through the windows of the front room. Maxine could picture the finished space in her mind. A television, a couch, an easy chair. The built-in shelves were a nice touch. The open kitchen would make entertaining a breeze. The bedrooms were decently sized, and there was even a stand-alone laundry room. It was everything the pamphlet had boasted. It was the antithesis of everything she’d wanted._

_Nate beamed down at her. “Well?” His face swam back into focus. “Honey?”_

_“Hmm? Oh, sorry- I was just taking it all in.” She smiled convincingly enough at the realtor and turned back to her husband. “It’s great. Really great.”_

_Inside, she was screaming. They were moving to the suburbs to ‘make it work.’ It hadn’t worked to begin with. It was never going to work, but the scandal had been too much. Every accolade she’d accumulated. Every step towards the apex. Every late night at the office busting her ass. Working twice as hard for the chance at a place at the table. Favors she wasn’t proud of._

_It had all been for nothing._

_It was all because of him._

 

“Then where _is_ home? You had to come here from somewhere.” The rumble of his voice pulled her back. 

She was surprised at the question and chose her words carefully. “Well, I grew up out West, then made my way to the Commonweath to find work.” 

“All the way out _there_? Damn, boss. You got more balls than I thought.” He leaned forward with interest. 

Maxx shrugged awkwardly. “What can I say? I’m a total badass.” 

 

_The jet engines roared, propelling the plane forward on the runway. Her mother prodded at her in an attempt to correct her adult daughter’s posture. She peered out the window and kept her attention on the scenery rushing by. Her mother’s chiding slowly faded into the background and she was stuck once again with her thoughts._

_Her stomach ached and her chest had never felt heavier. She couldn’t believe he was gone. Twenty summers’ worth of memories played behind her eyes. His smiles. The mop of unkempt hair on top of his head, the same color as hers. They’d shared so many qualities._

_“You certainly are your father’s daughter.” Her mother was annoyed. “You never listen to a thing I have to say.”_

_She didn’t have patience for the bullshit._

_“Well he’s definitely not listening to you now. He’s dead.” The corners of her mouth turned up. The sight of her mother- speechless, mouth agape- had burned itself into her brain._

_The entertainment was short lived at a realization: She would never return to this place. It made her feel sick all over again._

_How could he be gone?_

 

Maxx blinked quickly and rubbed her eyes. “What about you? Have you always been part of a roving band of circus folk?” 

“What?” The look on his face was priceless. 

“You." She poked at him. "How did you end up here?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still chuggin' along, friends.
> 
> So we moved AGAIN. Still unpacking. Getting back to work. Just lots of life stuff. Thanks for sticking with me! Comments and Kudos much appreciated!


	28. Chapter 28

He glared at her before opening his mouth. “I don’t remember a lot from bein’ a kid. I just remember we were always walking. Always moving from place to place. The _Pack_.” A proud smile lifted his features. “The elders believed it was better to roam than to settle down and be attacked. Travelling in numbers made people less likely to fuck with us.” 

Maxx stopped fidgeting and studied the minute changes in his expression. His brows had relaxed. His mouth was turned up in a smile instead of a smirk. There were crinkles at the corners of his eyes. _So this is what he looks like happy._

“That doesn’t explain why you’re _here_ though.” 

Mason rolled his eyes and continued. “Things changed.” His hand was at his goatee and there was a faraway look in his eyes. 

She eyed him tentatively. “Does it have anything to do with tar and feathers?” 

“What did you just say to me?” He growled. 

The Overboss blinked and swallowed hard. “I didn’t mean anything by it.” She met his gaze stubbornly. “It was one of the Pack members that mentioned it when I first got here. Said something about you ‘tarring and feathering the last Alphas.’” Her voice dropped. “Also said not to talk about it, but…” A shrug. 

“You don’t got the right to bring up shit like that. I don’t care _who_ you think you are, _boss_.” He pushed himself up and crossed his arms. Mason towered over her with an angry scowl. “You don’t know _anything_ about me and mine.” 

Maxx stared dumbly at his face. He was red from his chin to the tips of his ears. His mouth was a snarl and his brows met angrily in the middle of his face. 

“I didn’t mean-” She swallowed hard, trying to find the words. “I just-“ Maxx took a deep breath. “I’m _sorry_.” 

Mason slowly deflated. The look on her face told him the apology was genuine. She was staring at the floor, oddly quiet. It sparked something in him. He studied her face as she continued. 

“You’re right though.” She mumbled. “I don’t know about you or your gang. Your _people_.” A small wave of hair fell over her face. Before she could sweep it back she felt his fingers run through it. She stiffened and slowly raised her eyes. 

“Maxx.” 

Her voice was terse. “What?” 

“Nothin’. Just didn’t expect you to roll over so quick.” 

“Roll over?” She batted his hand away and smoothed her hair back. “Or we can think about it logically. We’re stuck in a room. Together. And I’m tired. And I don’t feel like dicking around.” 

He chuckled. 

“Oh, shut up.” 

“Make me.” He leaned a little closer. 

“Really? What are we, five?” There was sudden heat in her cheeks. 

The pack master was chuckling again. 

“God, were you _born_ this irritating? Or did you have to train specifically to-” 

He silenced further bantering, leaning up and kissing her softly. 

There was something different about it this time. There wasn’t a heady need sweeping them into each other. It was a comfort. 

Mason cupped her face. She felt the roughness of calloused fingers at her jawline as she slid off of her chair. He smiled as she leaned against him and settled in. Her hair was soft as he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head.

“I really did want to hear about them, Mason. Will you tell me about your people?” Maxx laced their fingers. 

“Mm.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “Suppose I could give it a try.” Mason sucked in a breath and exhaled slowly. “So where was I? Oh yeah- wandering.” 

She closed her eyes and listened to the soft bass of his voice.

_The midday sun reflected off the aged white stripes of the highway. The heat was penetrating through the paltry soles of his tennis shoes and made him pick up his feet. He watched the sea of heads bobbing with each step, sensing the weariness of the group. The Pack had been marching since before dawn. It was time to wait out the heat of the day._

_Mason watched as various adults peeled off from the slow procession. Some were pitching airy tents. Others were rolling out fire building supplies. Many of the women called to their children. Chubby babies fussed until presented with a breast, quieting into contented coos and droopy eyelids._

_He smiled with an ingrained sense of pride. This was his family. The Pack._

_Something hard struck him in the back of the head and he winced. He touched a shaky hand to the point of impact and felt it come away wet._

_“Nice catch, Mason!”_

_“Aw look! He’s gonna cry!”_

_Mason glared at them and let the angry tears slip down his cheeks and down his chin before turning and heading wordlessly towards the Elders’ tent._

_***_

_“They’re your cousins and they’re eventually going to lead this tribe when your Grandmother and your uncle are gone.”_

_He sighed and rested his chin in his hand. “I know, ma.”_

_“You shouldn’t be fighting them.”_

_“I know, ma.”_

_“Even if they are the ones to start it.”_

_“Yes, ma.”_

_A grizzled hand pushed open the tent flap. Her cane tapped against dry stone and her skirts kicked up dust. “Boy.”_

_He felt the blood rush to his ears and waited for the inevitable wallop. “Yes, Gran?”_

_She paused for a moment and looked at him thoughtfully. “Did you at least kick their asses?”_

_“Of course, Gran.” He couldn’t hide his smirk._

_They both chuckled as she ruffled the orange mop of hair on his head._

_***_

_His mother sobbed into his shoulder. Her nails bit into the sunburned flesh on his back and he grit his teeth._

_She was gone. His grandmother was gone. The old woman had been strong as an ox in body and constitution, but there she was. Dead. She looked the same, except her coloring was off. Mason stared at her vacant face as his mother wept against him. He towered over her now, a lean and lanky teenager._

_“S’ok ma. She went peaceful.”_

_Something about it all didn’t sit right with him._

_***_

_The changes started slowly, almost unnoticeably. The Pack took shorter breaks. Their new leader had less time for grievances. He was content to “let them work it out themselves.”_

_Mason learned quickly not to undermine his uncle in public. There was suddenly a price to pay for angering the tribal leader- pain and humiliation. The man left the punishment to his twin sons. They were more than happy to assist their father._

_Those that took issue with the new governing style of the Pack were banished. As their numbers dwindled, their wandering slowed. Families that had roamed with them for generations split off and went their own way._

_His mother tried in vain to reason with her brother. It was no use. They continued to lose good people. It broke her heart, but she felt bound by blood to stick it out. Mason did what he could to mitigate things under his uncles’ nose. Deserters tried to convince him to leave with them. To lead them. But he refused to leave his mother._

_***_

_They didn’t even see the raiders coming. His uncle had been too lazy. Or too stupid. It didn’t matter. They ripped through the camp, slaughtering those who were sleeping. Screams tore through the humid night air, forcefully yanking him from sleep._

_“Ma?” He bolted up, eyes darting frantically. “Ma!” The gangling ginger stumbled to his feet and swiped the blade from his bedside. Sounds of the butchery outside spurned him forward. “Ma?!”_

_By the time he found her, she was cold. The fires had all burned to embers as the dawn approached. Bodies littered the ground around him. Survivors limped along looking for kin and sifting through ruined belongings._

_***_

_The succession of power had always adhered to one rule: the conquered would leave. They would not be executed. His cousins had declared their father unfit to rule. In the tradition of their departing leader, he was beaten half to death and humiliated._

_Mason was too smart to think that his cousins did this with any kind of love for their father. Had they a choice, the pair of them would have strung him up in a heartbeat. It didn’t matter- the man was as good as dead._

_The new Alphas- as they started calling themselves- found their numbers had dwindled to a critical low. Many lives had been lost during the ambush. They used it as a jumping off point for recruiting. More changes were made._

_The Pack stopped roaming. There were no children. No chubby cooing babies. The sense of family was gone, replaced by a violent pecking order. The once proud symbol of the tribe became a cheap banner waved in the name of looting. Of raiding._

_Mason was numb to it. He stayed because he had always stayed. The Pack was his family. Where else was he going to go? So he let them change him. He grew bigger. Meaner. Stronger. He watched as the Alphas assimilated raiders from all over the Commonwealth. He watched them grow complacent while trying to keep their hold on the motley bunch of murderers and thieves. He watched them turn their heritage into a Zoo._

_He watched them turn down a deal with a man named Colter who promised to get them Nuka World._

_Then he watched them burn._

_***_

Mason was suddenly startled back to reality as the Overboss shifted in his lap. He looked down to find her dozing quietly and moved a stray strand of hair behind her ear. 

Maxx stirred, blinking and stretching. She stiffened as his face came into focus. “Fuck, I fell asleep didn’t I?” She pounded the floor with a fist. “Damnit!”

He chuckled. “How much _did_ you hear?” 

She blinked sleepily. “You told me that your uncle took over, sucked at being a leader but you and your mom stayed out of obligation to your people and they asked you to leave and lead them instead.” 

Mason nodded slowly. He was acutely aware of how relieved he was that she didn’t hear the last parts. The worst parts. The past was something he hadn’t thought about in a long time. 

“It’s ok _boss_. You didn’t miss much.” He leaned down and kissed her softly. The smell of burning tar lingered in his mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow over a month since the last update! I want to thank Voxel for helping me through some major writer's block! I knew where the story was going, but this chapter had me stalled like crazy. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed my version of Mason's backstory. I might go back to it at some point, but I really enjoyed brainstorming and writing it up. 
> 
> I am really excited and happy to be moving forward. Here's hoping I don't get stuck for this long again! ʕ≧㉨≦ʔ


	29. Chapter 29

The gates of Kiddie Kingdom loomed in front of them. Layers of dirt and grime coated giant lollipops. It added to the unsettling ambiance. Maxx was kneeling with the rifle’s scope to her eye. She watched feral ghouls amble around the otherwise deserted park. From her limited view, she could see rides in motion. The closest to them was a spinning teacup ride. A shudder crawled through her limbs at the sudden memory of the gauntlet and the defunct pieces and parts littering the aisles.

“Somethin’ up?” His moustache tickled her ear as she shook her head. 

“Lotta ghouls. They look like they’ve been painted or something.” She hefted the rifle at him. “Take a look.” 

Mason grunted affirmatively. 

“Think they’re just former Pack members?” She chuckled as she took the gun back. 

“Ha ha.” He rolled his eyes.

“Alright. Helmets on.” The steel lids hissed, decompressing over their heads. The Overboss’ voice crackled through the speaker. “You ready?” 

Mason nodded. 

“Then lets go shoot us some ferals.” 

*** 

Maxx had figured out very quickly why the Geiger counter found the area so exciting. What used to be mist-sprayers for hot summer days had turned into radiation sprinklers. It made the ghouls a lot harder to kill, but not impossible. 

A gravelly voice seemed to be on repeat throughout the park. It taunted the two of them from the speakers throughout Kiddie Kingdom. The voice had annoyed them a great deal at first until they’d realized it was a recording. She wasn’t sure if the producer of the sound bites still existed. Perhaps he was one of the ferals. 

She grinned behind the helmet. Random piles of painted bodies were strewn across the dirt. The Overboss and the pack master trundled on, watching the rides whirl around. 

“Hey Mason.” She was already chuckling. 

“Yeah?” 

“You know if things don’t work out for some of the Pack members, we could always use them as carnies.” 

“The fuck’s a carny?" 

“Oh, y’know- the creepy people that run the rides and the prize booths and stuff at places like this.” She motioned around them. “Oh, they could paint faces too!” 

Mason growled behind the helmet. “Alright _boss_ , funny joke. Now lay off.” 

Maxx shrugged and they continued on. Her little jokes were beginning to needle him. Throughout the day, she’d made little comments comparing Pack members to the painted zombies they were mowing down. Sometimes he understood the references, others he relied on her to decode for him. He pushed the irritation down as they continued to clear a path to the main attraction: King Cola’s castle. 

It rose far above the rest of the park’s attractions with fake candies, ice cream cones, soda bottles, the Nuka World mascots, and a ridiculous amount of spires. He’d seen pictures of castles in some of the old storybooks his mother had given him. They paled in comparison to the excess of the concrete monstrosity ahead of them.

The fake racecars zoomed around on tracks that circled the perimeter. They sped past, wheels making loud click-clacks against the tracks. Some of them screeched as metal scraped metal. The pack master guessed one of them would take your knees out if you weren’t paying attention. 

The gates loomed ahead of them. There was a small knot of anxiety in his chest that dreaded what might be behind them. Maxx seemed to be in high spirits at least. 

“Ok I got one for ya-“ She held up the ‘one minute’ finger, already giggling. “If-“ another giggle. “So if a pack member is wearing fuzzy pants and an animal mask-” She sniggered. “If they get hit by one of those cars down there. Would they be… _road kill_?” The Overboss was bent over and uselessly holding a hand to her middle. 

Mason felt his ears turning red. Had she been able to see underneath the helmet, she would’ve known it was time to stop. He growled and stalked up the stairs while her back was to him. Unfortunately, he didn’t get the chance to let her know just how “funny” he found her jokes. 

It happened so fast. Maxx had yanked open one of the doors, screamed, and slammed herself into the concrete sidewall. The confusion tripped him up, which turned out to be a good thing. One missile struck the spot he had been standing. The other careened over the stairs and impacted the foot of the bridge fair distance from them. 

_Gonna feel that in the morning._  

His neck was already sore, but it was better than being dead. Mason groaned, slowly twisting in the tin can and picking himself up. There was a slight ringing in his ears, but the helmet had absorbed most of the sound waves. He finally noticed Max standing over him when she shook him roughly by the shoulders.

“Mason! Talk to me, damnit!”

“What?” His head was still fuzzy. 

“Are you _ok_? Jesus Christ- those things came out of nowhere! How’d you know to move?” 

The pack master placed his hands over hers and moved them gently from his shoulders. “I’m alright. Just shook up.” It was a strange thing for him to admit. Armored hands gripped at the side of the helmet and he yanked it off. Smoke bit into hit throat and lungs. He stepped backwards and away from the black trails hanging in the air.

Maxx mimicked him and held the headgear under an arm. Her eyes traced his features looking for traces of anything that might be concerning.

“I’m still pretty if that’s what you’re checking for.” He chuckled at the relief on her face. “I’m a big boy, Xavier. I can handle a little explosion or two.” 

She was struck by the worry twisting in her guts. It left her without any witty quips. “Good.” The emotion was more than uncomfortable and the Overboss turned quickly. She smushed the helmet back over dark tresses and dropped the subject. 

Mason could swear there was something wet on her cheek as she turned. 

“Alright, the doors to the inside of the castle are up ahead. Let me check for more traps before you come up here.” 

She was already marching up the stairs before he could argue. All the pack master could do was disregard her orders- if you could call them that- and follow.

The boss sighed in exasperation as they glanced between each other at the red doors. Inside was the theater. Neither of them had any idea what might await them. They had the same idea though: each stood to their respective side of the doors. Maxx counted down silently and nodded. The doors creaked open. She squeezed her eyes shut… 

And there was nothing. Mason let her move ahead, pistol in hand. The grizzled voice made them both jump. 

“Finally arrived. Quickly! The show is about to begin!” 

“D’you think he’s actually in there, or its just another recording?” 

He paused to consider it. “Could be. Don’t think we’re gonna know until we get in there.”

She sighed. “Then I guess we better not keep the bastard waiting.” Maxx was getting really tired of all the obstacles in these damned parks. “Show him how annoying he is.” 

They stared at the second set of doors for a moment before swinging them open with their guns drawn. What must’ve been a pre-recorded introduction played, with bits of static caused by the age of the equipment. It was an overly cheerful woman’s voice. 

“And now the show you’ve all been waiting for!” A pause for effect. “Oswald the Outrageous!” 

“Oswald the-” 

A green flash and a puff of smoke on the stage balcony interrupted her snarking. Both of them held their guns at the ready, waiting for the smoke to clear. The figure hiding behind the billowing curtain glowed a brilliant green. It came from inside his body. Adding to the strangeness of his appearance was the suit, stovepipe hat, and sword. The Overboss would have rubbed her eyes were it possible. Instead she settled on exaggerated blinking. His words cut through the confusion. 

“I’ll admit, I didn’t think you’d make it this far.” He looked the two of them up and down, nonchalant about the hulking metal suits. “I can tell you’re different than the usual invaders so I’ll not bother with the usual tricks and illusions I use to scare off the superstitious.” He grinned, showing off electric teeth. 

Another pop and puff of smoke and the ghoul was almost face to face with them. He was a true showman. He spread his arms out in grand gestures, pointing and emphasizing words with white-gloved hands. 

“When the bombs fell everything changed. _We_ changed. And somehow I received a gift.” Oswald paused dramatically. “Actual magic. The stuff of legends.” He turned his gaze back to them with a malicious grin. “Perhaps you’d like to see some?” 

The glowing one raised his arms skyward and released a wave of radioactive energy that knocked them off balance. Maxx righted herself and aimed down her sights at him. 

“No matter what you do I can heal my friends and we will protect what is _ours_.” His expression was something out of a horror film. 

Maxx caught movement in the corner of her eye. It was enough of a distraction for her opponent to back away with a hearty cackle. She fired a few shots his way, but it was too late. Feral ghouls that had been assumed dead rose like zombies from the stained and grimy carpet. Slimy growls escaped them as the monsters fixated on the suits of power armor. They charged forward and kept the Overboss and her partner distracted.

Mason wasn’t sure where he came from, but felt himself falling forward as the ringmaster savagely stabbed the sword into the knee joint in his armor. The impact of steel on carpeted cement was bone rattling. Maxx could feel the tremors under her feet. She had her own problems.

The ghouls were dog piling her. Pulling on her limbs and dragging her to the ground. Paint and peeling skin smeared across the silver plating. She felt herself falling and could do nothing about it. 

The theater seat wrenched into her back. She cried out as her spine contorted. The Overboss had been swarmed and taken down. She could do little else but listen to the screaming internal alarms of the power armor as the ferals tore at the metal plating to get to the goodies inside. 

Mason was slow to get to his feet. The power armor was clumsy, and he wasn’t used to the movement. His attention turned to Maxx as he watched the ghouls take her down. He called out to her, but as he leapt forward, Oswald appeared again. He continued to stab at the weak points in the armor with the skills of a practiced swordsman. 

The pack master was too slow and felt the blade bite into the tender meat under his arm. Now he was pissed. It was time to show that green asshole what brute strength was capable of. Mason was quicker getting to his feet this time and managed to guess where his adversary would appear. Ignoring the dangers of the blade, he slammed his full weight into the showman.

The Alpha howled in delight watching the glowing ghoul bounce down the aisle like a ragdoll. But Oswald knew when he was beat. With another crack, there was nothing but a cloud of smoke. A disembodied voice floated across the room. 

“The show must go on!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally got through some writers-block type issues that were holding up story progress. Doing much better now! I want to thank everyone for being so patient with my slow updates. I have lots of plates spinning, so I'm jumping around a lot! 
> 
> I hope you'll stick around for more adventures of Maxx and Mason. Feel free to comment- I love reading them!


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning for some gore?

Mason was snapped back to reality at the garbled cries. “Maxx?” He turned to see the writhing mass of undead flesh on top of his partner. “Maxx!” His footsteps reverberated around the theater.

The pack master skidded to a halt in front of them and ripped the ghouls from her. It was rare that he relied on raw strength to get the job done. The bodies flew through the air. Some skidded across the carpet. Others somersaulted over the faded chairs. His animal instincts kicked in and he began to pulverize the lesser beings with his fists as they recovered and attacked anew.

Maxx pushed herself to her feet and felt her back screaming at her. Her brain was useless. She could only stare, dumbfounded, at the man she’d fought alongside of so many times. He’d never been such an… _animal_. It frightened her. 

Bodies exploded into putrid viscera as ferals met fists. He clapped their heads between robotic hands and watched them collapse into piles of jelly. Maxx felt the bile rising into her throat and rambled from the room, tearing her helmet off and retching just outside the doors. 

The last of the zombies slid to the floor to collapse into the dismembered pile of limbs in front of him. His breaths came in gasps while he tried to quell the fire in his chest. His hands shook as he looked around the now quiet auditorium. She was gone. 

“Xavier?” He listened to his voice echo around the space, fear gripping his insides. “Maxx?!” 

The Overboss slumped through the doors. Spittle hung from her lip and she spat onto the ancient carpet. “Here.” She gave a weak wave, but ducked back out at the smell. 

Mason made his way to her while tugging at the helmet. It was making him feel claustrophobic. Like he couldn’t breathe. 

“What’s the matter?” He swung himself through the opening and watched her step away from him. “Maxx?”

Maybe it was the anxiety. The adrenaline. The viscera. But he had her spooked. The words tumbled out.

“What the _hell_ was that back there?” she pointed through the doors dramatically. “You- you ripped them apart! Bashed their heads in? You were like an _animal_.” Maxx was panting. Her eyes were wide and frantic. He couldn’t tell if she was waiting for more ferals, or if _he_ had scared her. The thought made him furious.

Adrenaline still raged hot and thoughtlessly through him, and her words continued on repeat in his head. _You were like an animal. An animal. Animal._ He had finally lost his patience with her. 

“An animal, _boss_? Like the rest of the Pack members?” His face was red to his ears. He blew hot air out of his nostrils and glared at her. She opened her mouth to speak, but he jumped in. “Oh wait I forgot- they’re not _animals_. Just carnies and clowns. Here for your fuckin’ amusement. Right, _boss_?” 

“Mason I never-” 

“Bullshit you never. You think me and mine are a _joke_.” There was hurt in his eyes beyond the anger. “You don’t care about anybody as long as you get what _you_ want. Isn’t that right, _boss_?” 

She mirrored the intensity of his glare. “You think I _want_ any of this?” She gestured all around them. “You think I want to babysit a bunch of useless, murdering, cheating, _disgusting_ raiders?” She spat a vomit-flavored pile of saliva off to the side. “Because I don’t.” 

“Oh, so now we’re not just _animals_ , but disgusting animals?” 

“You know what, Mason? You’re goddamned right they are.” Her temper had reached its boiling point. 

He looked her up and down. “Well you rolled in the shit with the rest of us, _boss_.” 

“Well I’m not the one who made that the default standard of living for you and your fucking animal friends, did I?” She cut him off before he could speak again. “I’m not the one that locks people in cages like animals. I’m not the one who’s such a shitty leader that I’m completely content to leave my people living in a literal fucking dump all crammed together like-” 

Mason broke in. “Fuck you, Maxine. And fuck this bullshit,” he pointed an angry finger towards her. “At least I don’t drink myself half to fucking death because I hate myself. I don’t run off and fuck people over, and over, and over again and lie to myself about why.” 

Maxx had saved the best for last. Her voice was quiet, and her stare was intense. “No, Mason. You were too busy letting your kin die off while you fell in line instead of being a _real_ leader. You were waiting until you were the ruler of nothing but a band of _raiders_. Because you were too much of a coward to stand up and do something about it until it didn’t matter anymore.”

He slammed the helmet into the ground. Maxx jumped at the sudden movement and watched the glass eyepieces shatter. The pack master was seething. His whole body moved up and down with each angry breath. It surprised her when his words were so quiet. 

“We’re done here.” He turned, heading for the doors to the outside. “Oh, and Maxine?” Mason turned to peer over his shoulder. “You ain’t welcome in Pack territory. I see you and I’ll kill you.” 

The slamming doors made her teeth chatter. Maxx looked down at the busted helmet then back to the doors. 

_What the hell just happened?_  

*** 

“You raiders are all the same.” Oswald stared her down from the wire ramp, eye narrowed to glowing slits. “You come into someone’s home, steal their belongings, and kill those they care about.” He used the zigzagged blade as a pointer. “I’m not going to let you kill any more of my friends. This is _our_ home, not _yours_.” 

Maxx was tired. So tired. Tired to her bones. Her back still nagged at her. Anger didn’t. It had faded and been replaced with weariness. And if she was willing to admit it, deep sorrow. 

“If these feral ghouls are your friends, I’d hate to see who you consider an enemy.” 

She knew sarcasm wasn’t the best way to start off negotiations. Maybe she didn’t care. 

_Maybe he’ll just kill me and I won’t have to deal with this shit anymore._

It was a shame the ghoul couldn’t see her face. He might’ve let up on her. “How _ironic_ you should say something like that.” He took a deep breath. “We’ve defended this place for over 200 years. Do you think you’re the first outsider I’ve met that’s tried to brand ‘feral’ ghouls as monsters?” Oswald was glaring at her again. “How many of them have you needlessly slaughtered while ignorantly thinking you’re doing the world a favor?” 

_If you’re counting people, I’d tell you to stop. Too many to keep track of._  

The Overboss’ brain was a haze. She asked the first question on her mind. “You’ve been here for _200 years_? _Why_?”

“We worked here as entertainers before the bombs fell.” His expression softened. “The radiation may have changed us, but we decided to make this place our home. Over time the illness took my friends… and those that we love.” 

She could understand his passion. She also understood chasing shadows. And losing a part of yourself to them. “I am going to find a cure and fix my friend before someone like _you_ comes along and exterminates us all.” 

_But I’m already here, ‘exterminating’. You’re not going to stop the inevitable- just make things uglier._  

She wanted to be antagonistic about it, but the look on his face- She’d had that look once. Maxx sighed. The venom left her voice. “Ghouls like your friends- it’s too late for them. The radiation changed them forever.” 

“So you’re admitting my friends are sick and you’re trying to kill them anyway? I’d say that makes you the only _monster_ around here.” Oswald was clearly beginning to understand, but didn’t want to accept the truth. It would mean accepting his own eventual fate. 

But the Maxine Xavier had learned much in her travels around the Commonwealth. She’d spoken to Doctor Amari about the same things the glowing ghoul was working towards. Of course for her, it had been a morbid curiosity… 

She continued. “It’s not a sickness. Radiation has consumed their minds… they’ve become feral.” 

Oswald took a step back. “You’re wrong! Rachel is going to find a way to cure them- we’re going to fix this!” He gripped the lapels of his jacket and tugged at them. “My beloved left this place years ago to find a cure this disease.” He met Maxx’s gaze. “In return, I swore that I’d keep our people safe by defending our home. When Rachel walks through those gates with the cure in hand, then you’ll see. Everyone will see, that I was right!” 

Maxx froze at his words. The name. _Rachel_. 

_The very outskirts of Bradberton allowed the viewer to see the entirety of the little town. She could make out the quaint houses descending the hill and making way for the little local shops._

_It had been one of the rare occasions she’d ventured out on her own. Getting the lay of the land. After all, a ruler was supposed to know their kingdom, right?_

_There had been rumors, of course. Feral ghouls all over the place! Ghosts of former residents! Most of it was superstitious nonsense. But, she was curious nonetheless. Sight to her eye, she’d spotted a house cut in half. Like a life-sized dollhouse, she could see rooms and furnishings._

_On the floor was a figure. Unmoving, wrinkled, but not decayed. Her urge to scavenge overcame the caution she should have exercised. It had been worth it. The ghoul woman was dead- not feral, and she’d left behind some useful supplies. One of the items happened to be a holotape. Maxx had spotted the telltale orange on a makeshift table by the body._

_It still felt strange. Listening in on people’s private messages. But the curiosity always got the better of her. The voice had definitely belonged to a ghoul woman- rasping and dry. There was a sense of determination to the voice._

_Amongst the growls and moaning, it became obvious that she’d recorded just before her death. She talked about trying to find a cure. Turning feral. Ending things on her own terms. It had brought the Overboss to tears as she’d sunk to her knees beside the woman’s body._

_It must’ve been terrifying to feel yourself losing your mind like that. She’d stuck the tape into one of the many pockets in her belt and forgotten about it._

_Until now._  

The Overboss removed her helmet slowly. He needed to hear her. He deserved to know the truth. He deserved someone looking him in the eye when he heard it. 

“Rachel’s dead.” The two of them stood in silence for a long while. Maxx’s voice seemed overly loud when she finally continued. “She left something. I think it was for you.” Oswald stared at the floor as she continued. “But I have to step out of my armor to give it to you. Will you let me do that?” He nodded, eyes still tracing the imperfections in the grating below his feet. 

The power armor hissed open and Maxx stepped gingerly from it. Her back protested the movement, but she didn’t care. She stepped towards him and fumbled with the pouch. The tape felt heavy in her hand. “Here.” 

“I want to know what’s on it,” he snapped. She nodded slowly, and slid it into her PipBoy with a click. The gravelly voice once again met her ears and she bit her lip to keep it from trembling. 

Oswald listened intently, cringing at the intermittent growls and groans. Silent tears ran down her cheeks watching the man grieve through Rachel’s message. Rachel’s very _personal_ message to him. They had almost reached the end of the tape. 

“I dunno why it hasn’t affected you the same, but if you’ve still held it together… I want you to move on. Leave Nuka World. You can still make a life out there. It’s not all as bad as we thought.” His face twisted at her very last words. “I love you, Oz.” 

“She’s… dead?” He dropped to a seated position and clawed at his face. “No, no my poor Rachel! How could I allow her to leave my side on such a difficult journey alone? This is all my fault.” His shoulders shook and he sobbed openly into his hands. “All my fault.” 

The Overboss made her way up the ramp and sat beside him. She let him cry away the fresh grief until his breathing slowed to its normal rhythm. Her voice was barely a whisper. “I’m sorry.” 

Oswald’s head shot up. He opened his mouth to rage at her. Tell her she had no idea. How could she? But the dampness of her cheeks and miserable expression halted the words in his throat. “You’ve lost someone too, haven’t you?” 

She nodded without offering anything more. 

The glowing ghoul stood suddenly, resolute. He wiped his eyes, and stared down at her, his expression soft. “Well, that does it then. Its up to me to leave this place and find the cure myself.” He almost smiled. “I’ll gather what remains of my friends and we’ll leave this place in your care. Don’t worry about the radiation. It will no longer be a burden to you or your kind.” There was a hint of guilt in his words. “Here,” Oswald shoved the hilt of his sword towards her. “You should have this.” He reached up and gripped the brim of his hat, placing it on her head. “Consider it an apology for misjudging you.” 

Oswald the Outrageous wasn’t one for long goodbyes. He tossed something small at the ground and disappeared with one final word. 

“ _Farewell.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I reallllllllly enjoyed writing this chapter. I knew I didn't want Oswald to die. He's too neat. I am soooo excited about what's coming next...
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! Comments and Kudos always appreciated :)


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mild gore warning.

_“I’d say that makes you the only monster around here.”_  

The glowing green magician hadn’t been wrong. It had taken the Overboss several more days to drag herself away from the candy-coated wasteland and back to the Rocket. Her interactions with Oswald had dug up many of the memories she’d tried to keep buried. She thought about her former life as a lawyer. Her time as a Railroad agent. The burning, smoldering hole in the ground… 

She thought about her actions as Overboss. Why did she even accept the position? There was no love for most of the people she supposedly ruled. They just wanted someone doing their dirty work. What did she really get out of any of it? 

The merchants- they were people, not animals. Yet Maxx hadn’t bothered to get rid of the bomb collars. Hell, did they even _work_? And where would “the button” be? There were others that wore the collars too. Some of them were enemies of one gang or another, though the severity of the punishment didn’t fit the perceived crimes. There were others, probably completely innocent. And as much as she’d tried to eschew them, they’d never truly left her mind. She’d just shuffled them around with other thoughts and crammed them in the back of her head like papers in a messy desk drawer. 

The Overboss had finally made up her mind about them. She would free them once she got back. If they were going to make this place a center of commerce, it had to be with traders that wanted to be there. The chance of corruption was too high when you forced people into things. Once she got back, she was going to make the changes, gangs be damned. 

But going back also meant seeing Mason. 

 _“You ain’t welcome in Pack territory. I see you and I’ll kill you.”_  

Every time she thought about the words, saw his face in her mind… It was like someone was stabbing her in the chest. She knew what it meant, but she’d be damned if she was going to admit it. To herself. To anyone. 

There was also the reality of their business relationship to consider. What had he told the other gang leaders when he’d returned without the boss? _Did_ he tell them anything? The Pack’s claim on Kiddie Kingdom was very public knowledge. If she went back on her word, her position would be threatened. There were enough tightropes to walk. She didn’t need any more complications. 

 _“I see you and I’ll kill you.”_  

Maxx sighed as she cleaned up her present quarters. The Red Rocket had once again become a way station as she procrastinated. It was familiar. Peaceful. Quiet. The more time that passed, the more lived-in the old fuel station had become. Most of the raiders never came out this way, and those who did went out on patrols. They would clear out leftover Gunners or the small hordes of super mutants. The mutants were a rarity, but they were out there. 

 _Well, that’s depressing._  

Her eyes found the broken helmet propped up on the workbench. The hoses hung limply over the edge, and the glassless eyes stared back at her. 

 _Goddamn he’s strong._  

The thought of him brought on a fresh wave of grief. She released the breath she’d been holding. Maxx cringed at the memory of her words. They were extremely low blows, ugly in spirit. She ran a hand through her hair and stared out at the vacant land surrounding the building. The lack of people brought her a small sense of peace. It was something she desperately needed. 

The Power armor was up on the lift. It looked like it’d gone through a trash compactor. The plating was dinged, dented, and scraped to hell. She grabbed a wrench and dropped to her knees. The joints were all going to need tightened. Every piece of plating was going to have to come off. Where had she left the buffing compound? Was it even at the Nuka World Red Rocket? Her thoughts were jumbled as she tinkered. 

The sudden sounds of footsteps immediately put her on edge. Maxx whirled around, wrench in hand and nearly knocked the girl’s head off. 

“Boss! Boss- come quick! Something happened with Gage! He-well, just come with me!” The raider’s eyes were frantic under the day glow paint. 

“Wait-what?” The Overboss’ mind was slow to process her words. 

“C’mon Boss- just follow me!” 

 _Gage? Something’s wrong with Gage?_  

His name was like an alarm bell in her head. Her eyes were suddenly alert. Brows determined. The woman ahead of her moved at a good clip. Maxx struggled to keep up, but she had to. It was _Gage_. Every awful thing that could have, might have happened to her friend played on repeat behind her eyes. 

The familiar cobblestone pathways between the parks rushed by, giving way to the electric red sign. _Nuka World_. She was back. 

There was no time to contemplate things as the raider motored forward. Maxx was panting behind her. She wanted to know where they were going, but couldn’t spare the oxygen to talk. The pair wound their way around the marketplace and headed through the gate towards Cappy’s Café. 

Nisha was waiting outside the bar looking bored or annoyed. Or both. Maxx slowed down. She held up the one minute finger, then slapped her hands onto her thighs. Her body leaned forward so she could focus on breathing. Once her breath had steadied enough to speak, the Overboss turned her attention to the Disciple’s leader. 

“What’s going on?” she paused to wipe her forehead, “With Gage? Where is he?” She noticed with some relief that the other gang leaders were also heading towards them, though they were some distance away.

The doors chafed against the aged frame. Maxx turned to see what was coming through them. Gage met her confused stare with one of his own. “Oh, hey boss.” He grinned at her. “Didn’t think you’d get here so quick.” 

“What are you talking about?” she looked bewildered.

“You, bein’ early for one of your own meetings for a change?” he chuckled. “Pretty rare, dontcha think?” 

She was speechless as the realization dawned on her. 

Three things happened at once: Nisha laughed softly. Maxx’s mouth finally opened. As she started to speak there was a familiar voice in her ear. “Five years I’ve been runnin’ with Nisha’s crew. Did you _really_ think I’d wanna give all that up?” 

The Overboss’ eyes went wide, only to squeeze shut in extreme pain. The raider woman punched and twisted the knife into her target’s side with a sick grin. Maxx could only scream with pain. The knife was just as agonizing on the way out. Another explosion of pain burst through her lower back. She felt a force shoving her towards the ground and watched the world spin. By sheer instinct her hands cradled the wounds. A voice in the back of her head shrieked about how wet they came away. How deep and sticky red they were. Her eyes leaked tears that made her world a blur. 

Savoy had Gage in a bear hug, kicking and cursing at the Disciple. “Maxx! Boss!” The smaller raider struggled. “Talk to me, Xavier!” The fight continued. “Get the fuck offa me you-” He was met with a head-butt to the back of his skull. The impact made his head ring like a bell. Through the struggle and jumbled vision he noted the crimson puddle growing under the Overboss. Darkness was seeping into the corners of his vision and his body grew limp.

Mason and the others were confused at first, but as things in front of the watering hole had escalated, they’d all picked up the pace. The Black siblings were the first to come skidding in.

“Just what the hell do you think you’re doing, Nisha?” Mags Black was livid. It was the most emotion any of Nuka World’s residents had ever seen from her. William stood protectively in front of his sister, content to stare icily at the masked traitor. 

“Making good on a promise.” She stepped out of the way and watched their reactions with relish. 

Mags gasped at the crumpled, bloody heap. Her brother squinted and stared. 

The pack master’s heavy footsteps gave Nisha pause. He would be something to deal with. 

Savoy dumped Gage’s slack form down the stairs and stalked towards his mistress. He and Mason were similarly matched in height, but the Alpha had him beat when it came to sheer mass. 

“The fuck’s this little party?” The ginger giant crossed his arms, looking annoyed. “This don’t look like no meeting t’me. Where’s the boss?” 

It gave Nisha the greatest joy to step aside and reveal her present. “You mean this double-crossing little liar?” She wished he could see the full extent of the smile breaking over her face. “Looks like someone had a little accident.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOOOOOOOOO!  
> I'm not going to lie, I love cliffhangers. I really hope you enjoyed this chapter. I enjoyed writing it to an unhealthy degree.
> 
> Stay tuned for....well, you'll have to read it for yourself.
> 
> Comments and Kudos ALWAYS appreciated and ALWAYS smile-producing.


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gore warning

The world was a whirling daze. Noises were muffled. Commotion. Even the voices at high volume sounded as if they were coming through a wall. 

 _I thought I told those crazy fucks in 3B to keep it down_. 

The thought seemed somehow wrong, out of place. Her cerebrum had already moved on though, stopping to register the dull _thud-thudding_ in her side. Cold crept through her insides and she was vaguely aware of the shaking that wracked her body. And the fatigue. She was so _tired_. 

Dust snuck down her windpipe and she choked out a few pathetic coughs. Her mouth was dry. Tongue like sandpaper.

 _Got lost in the desert again? No worries, Dad’ll find me. He always finds me…_  

The sun was high and hot, but she couldn’t shake the chill slithering its way through her bones. Darkness swam in and out of her vision. 

 _What a strange dream…_  

The next minute Maxx was floating, but there seemed to be turbulence as her limbs bounced to and fro. The blurred shapes above her transitioned from brilliant yellows to cool blues and reds as she blinked slowly. Maybe she’d just let herself nod off in this dream… 

She was just so _tired._  

*** 

His red hair was like fire on a torch. He bellowed, fists clenching and vision going red. The painted woman stepped in before he could launch himself at the Disciples. 

“Mason- I saw it all! Nisha, she-” the rest of whatever she had to say was nothing more than a garbled series of gagging noises. He looked her over with a keen eye. 

“You ain’t one’a mine.” The Alpha looked her over, spotting the splotches of deep crimson across her clothes. Felt the syrupy texture on her hands as she tried in vain to pry his meaty paw from her throat. _“You._ ” His brows smashed together, and a sickening smirk crossed his painted features. 

He watched with satisfaction as he crushed her windpipe. Her neck caved in at an odd angle, and her eyes bulged. 

The Blacks cringed. They’d never seen what the man was physically capable of. His size and strength became terrifyingly obvious to them in that moment. Mags filed the information away. Just in case she ever considered confronting the Pack’s leader, or murdering someone he obviously cared about. It hadn’t taken her long to put two and two together. 

_He’s been canoodling with the boss. And Nisha found out about it. Moron._

Meanwhile, Savoy had stepped in to protect his leader. The angry bowie knife caught the sunlight, the reflection dancing across Mason’s face. 

The pack master dropped the dead deceiver unceremoniously and turned to face the traitors. His voice was deathly quiet. 

“I’m gonna enjoy killing you.” He ran his tongue over sharp, furious teeth. The other gangs had always compared the Pack to wild animals. He’d show them what an animal he could be. 

“Ah, ah, ah.” Nisha wagged a finger at him. “You might kill me, but you won’t get through all of _them_ without being skewered like a pig.” 

His fists were balled painfully tight. He growled, suddenly aware of the masked figures encircling the group. Mags and William moved to stand back to back. She whispered over her shoulder at him. “Be ready to cover me.” 

She stepped away from William and cleared her throat. “What are your intentions, Nisha? You’ve gone to an awful lot of trouble to put on this little show.” 

Mason glared at the Operator. Of course she was gonna try to bargain her way out of this. 

“My _intentions_ ,” she mused, “Are to take back what is _ours_ in this little theme park. What we’ve been denied.” 

“If you are suggesting ousting the Operators,” Mags paused to make a face,” and the Pack you’re going to end up at a strategic disadvantage.”

Porter Gage rolled his eyes, listening in and trying to figure out where the hell everyone was. He’d come-to at the sound of choking. It scared the hell out of him to think it was Maxx, until he heard the low rumble of Mason’s voice. 

 _“You aint one’a mine_.” 

He needed an opening. A distraction. The rest of the plan he would make up as he went along. He knew there wasn’t time to dawdle. Every second wasted was more blood pouring out of the boss. His _friend_. 

“Fuck it,” he mumbled to himself. The raider jumped to his feet like an Olympian. He charged towards Maxx’s unmoving body. The man paid no mind to the line of Disciples blocking the way as he skidded on his knees and scooped her up in one graceful movement. 

Gage looked frantically between the steel covered faces for the best opening. Trusting his instincts paid off: he slid through a weak point in their ranks. Overboos in hand, he barreled towards the market doors breathing a sigh of relief and ignoring the stitch in his side. 

“Should we go after him?” One of the women closest to the opening glanced at the raider’s retreating form. 

“No. If the Overboss isn’t dead already, she’ll die soon enough. And if that _fool_ knows what’s good for him, he’ll stay away.” Nisha cursed herself inwardly. She hadn’t planned on Gage even being alive at this point in the timeline. Unfortunately, things had moved too quickly. She’d be sure to gut the soldiers who’d let the mohawked idiot get away.

Mason felt a part of himself torn away watching the Overboss disappear in Gage’s arms. He wanted to follow. Steal her back from the other man’s arms and tend to her himself. Take her somewhere safe. Somewhere they could be together. But he couldn’t leave the Pack. 

Which was why he couldn’t bludgeon the Disciples to death with the mindlessness of a behemoth. There were too many. Nisha must have brought her entire crew. He blew hot air through his nostrils and pawed at the ground like an angry stallion. The Pack’s Alpha had been backed into a corner. 

He let his mind wander, trying to cool down. There was no way she could have survived. But he’d be god damned if he hadn’t watched her twist herself around to look at him. Mason stared at the blood puddle and the trail that dripped its way along their escape route.

 _I’m never gonna see her again._  

***

Nisha’s terms were simple: Nuka Town was to be Disciple territory. The other gangs would be given two days to vacate their current holdings. The Operators would continue to rebuild and run the bottling plant as originally ordered by Maxx. Dry Rock Gulch was to remain under Operator control as well. 

The Pack would be confined to Safari Adventure, but the Disciples would be settling the newest addition to the raider territories. Mason had acquiesced with some reluctance, but Nisha had known the Alpha would cave. He was weak when it came to protecting his people. There was no way he would move the entire gang across the Commonwealth. That much was clear. And Nisha didn’t need a territorial fight on her hands. 

The power plant and Galactic Zone would be absorbed in time. The Disciples’ leader wouldn’t attempt to stretch her forces so thin until things had settled. 

“And one last thing.” Her hands moved to the hilt of her knife. “I’m tired of playing these little behind-the-scenes games.” She paused with a nasty grin, sliding the blade out. “If I even _suspect_ that any of you are fucking around,” Nisha made a show of picking her fingernails with the razor edge. “I don’t fire warning shots.” 

Mason didn’t know why he had let the creepy bitch get away with it. He couldn’t forgive himself for not seeing it coming. But even the Black siblings hadn’t counted on Nisha turning traitor. It was small comfort given everything else. 

 _But Maxx…_  

Every time she drifted into his mind, his chest ached. The grief came in waves. It was more like a storm surge, knocking him on his ass and dragging him into dark waters. But then he would remember the small smiles. The softness of her skin. The smell of the outdoors in her hair. Something from their first meeting drifted to mind. 

 _“You don’t want to be Overboss?” She had been skeptical._  

“I’d run this place in a heartbeat,” he whispered. And he knew then that he couldn’t give up. She would’ve railed against it.

_I may have fucked up in the past, but this time I’m gonna do what needs done._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bum bum BUMMMMMM
> 
> I keep having to make gore warnings, but I do so enjoy writing it when its properly motivated. I gotta say, I *really* don't like Nisha and that makes her pretty easy to write for. 
> 
> I hope you've got a good hand-hold because we're goin' for a ride.
> 
> Comments, kudos, and general well-wishing is always a plus ;)


	33. Chapter 33

  
_Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream_  
Make him the cutest that I've ever seen  
Give him two lips like roses and clover  
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over

She checked her lipstick in the mirror one last time, making a pouting motion. The shade had been expertly chosen to bring out the warm tones of her face and hair. Her eyes focused instead on the scar that split one third of her lower lip. Somehow it gave others a sense that she was tough. The partners took her seriously. Well, _more_ seriously than other women at the office. 

In fact, she made it a point that everything for the day exuded confidence and strength. She smoothed over her blouse and the high waist of the pinstriped navy trousers. Their wide legs nearly enveloped the smart pair of pumps underneath. The wide sleeves of the silk blouse disappeared under the matching jacket. The last touch was a delicate gold wristwatch. 

“Shit,” she mumbled at the polished dial. “Gonna be late.” 

She swept the briefcase from the console table on disappeared out the door. The keys jingled into the case, and she rolled her eyes at the tell-tale sounds of arguing from 3B. 

“It’s too early for this shit!” She banged on the door with a closed fist as she zoomed down the hallway.

 

 __  
Sandman, I'm so alone  
Don't have nobody to call my own  
Please turn on your magic beam  
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream

“Fuckin’ help her!” 

Mackenzie Bridgeman stared at the crumpled heap of human in front of her. “I-I-I..” She held a hand to her mouth, shell-shocked. 

Gage grabbed her by the shoulders and shook hard. He left smudges of dirt and blood on her raggedy shirt. His eyes were fierce but fearful. “God damnit Doc- get to it!” 

Mackenzie stepped back from him, nodding and coming back to herself. “Alright- I need Stimpaks. Med-X.” She gestured behind her, rushing to the Overboss’ side. “Get all of it.” 

The tank top was easily ripped away to reveal the oozing wounds. They burbled like little bloody brooks. The doctor paled. Her patient’s blood pressure was extremely low and her body was cold to the touch. “I need to turn her over!”

Gage dropped the supplies on the desktop and rushed to her side. Each gripped the body on opposite sides. 

“Flip on three. One…Two…Three!” 

They flopped the boss over as gingerly as possible. Mackenzie’s eyes widened. The cuts were deep. If they’d penetrated organs… 

“Get her jacket off.” She was already tearing drawers open to grab additional supplies as Gage struggled to strip bloody leather from his friend. 

“Gimme your hands. _Now_ ” any fear of retaliation was gone. She had a job to do, and she was damn well going to do it. 

The alcohol was cold as it rushed over his hands. She shoved the bottle at him. “Get the grime off and rinse ‘em good.” The doctor did the same and began pumping the victim full of Med-X. “We gotta keep her sedated.” 

The raider stood off to the side feeling helpless. It made his anger flare and he attempted to take his frustration out on the woman trying to triage his boss. “God damnit can’t you go any fuckin’ faster? I thought you were a fuckin’ doctor!” 

Mackenzie paused for just a moment shooting him the most menacing glare he’d ever seen. “I’m doing the best I can. How ‘bout you shut the hell up, get over here and help me? _”_  

Cowed, the Overboss’ second in command shuffled over with his head down. “What d’you need me to do?”

_Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream_  
Make him the cutest that I've ever seen  
Give him the word that I'm not a rover  
Then tell him that his lonesome nights are over

“Shit!” She fumed at the coffee stain spreading across her blouse. “Should’a known better… Fucking coffee-god _damnit_.” She was a muttering mess after dumping coffee all over herself and losing the beautiful cherry danish to the dirt-crusted Boston streets.

 _Why the fuck did I stop for coffee?_ “Because the office coffee is shit,” she answered herself aloud. 

She continued her harried march to the office, attention elsewhere. The rock was _another lovely blessing_ she thought, as she felt herself tipping towards the ground. The briefcase swung forward and skittered across the cement. Her only respite was catching her balance before tumbling over. In her exasperation, she failed to hear the laughter behind the rusty chain link. 

Maxx righted herself and shuffled towards the worn leather case. She bent over, already feeling the discomfort in her muscles after the jarring motion. There was a shrill whistle behind her. 

“Baby, you got a nice ass.” The man punctuated the thought by pantomiming what she could only assume was the grabbing of an ass. 

Maxx glared daggers at the middle-aged man behind the fence. But she was running late. “Yeah, fuck you.” She slung the case over her shoulder, ready to race forward.

“You’d be much prettier if you smiled, doll.” He eyed her up and down and she shivered, feeling violated. “C’mon, give me a smile.”

“You’d be much prettier if you shut your fucking mouth, you piece of shit!” She flailed her finger at him. To herself she muttered, “Go fucking smile at yourself, fuckface,” and pressed on. 

He might’ve been in the clear had he kept his mouth shut. “Yeah, well fuck you too ya dirty whore. You’re an ugly bitch anyway. Can’t even take a compliment when a guy throws you a bone! He continued to call after her. “Might as well go kill yourself you crazy bitch. Nobody wants your ugly ass!” 

She let him think he was getting away with it as she stalked down the sidewalk. Let him sit back and think he had demolished her self-esteem. Let him concentrate on what a big man he was, giving it to a woman like that. Until she took a detour through the entrance to the construction site. 

“Think you’re a charmer, huh?” The lawyer crossed her arms over her chest and stared up at him.

“The fuck are you doin’ here? Y-you can’t be back here lady!” The man nearly toppled from the low hanging girder.

She swiped an errant hard hat from a concrete block beside her and popped it onto her head. “Go get me your foreman.” 

“Crazy bi-“ 

Maxx cut him off. “ _Now_.” 

Tail firmly between his legs, the cat-caller ambled as far as the metal beam allowed and jumped off near the end. 

“Pick up the pace!” She called after him. The sun was already peaking through the holes of the steel framework. She held a hand to her forehead with a smirk.

 

 __  
Sandman, I'm so alone  
Don't have nobody to call my own  
Please turn on your magic beam  
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream

 

The doc had stuffed all the meds she possibly could into a bag and shoved it at him. They’d carefully packed the Overboss in an abandoned wheelchair. “You gotta go. Quick. Disciples on the way.” Mackenzie had nodded to the Pack member patrolling from the wooden trellis above them. The doctor shooed them out the door leading to the train depot. 

“Doc-doctor Am-Amari.” Maxx’s grip on his arm had been so weak. “Goodneig-neighbor.” It was all the Overboss could muster and then she was out again. 

Back in the Commonwealth he’d had to scare a lone trader into giving up their Brahmin. It had been a surprise takeover and he’d had to run them off. He lifted Maxx from her hiding spot in the tall grass and over the worn mattress strapped to the hearty beast. They were mobile once again. 

The weather hadn’t been kind, but he’d somehow managed to get them to Diamond City. They’d run out of medicine. He was extremely grateful for the hippy-dippy chem dealer’s unexpected kindness. The man had traded almost half his inventory for the two-headed beast, and wished Gage well. After picking the boss up from the front gates, he’d had to carry her the rest of the way. 

Gage sprinted for his life past a super mutant lair. A mutant hound would’ve taken him down if not for the intermittent unfriendly fire from Commonwealth raiders. 

 _Fuckin’ amateurs._  

The pair had arrived at last to the neon sign. He shoved his way in, careful not to knock Maxx’s head against the doorframe. 

“Alright,” he shouted. “Where the fuck is Doctor Amari?”

_Mr. Sandman bring us a dream_  
Give him a pair of eyes with a "come-hither" gleam  
Give him a lonely heart like Pagliacci  
And lots of wavy hair like Liberace

Maxx stepped forward to greet the man who’d appeared through the trailer doorway. 

He’d rolled his shirtsleeves just past his elbows. The legs of his overalls were coated with the dust of the construction site, and his brilliant orange hair was expertly slicked back on the sides. The man seemed to exude an authority that transcended his simple, blue-collar appearance. 

“That’s the broad there,” The cat caller thrust his finger her direction with a smug grin. 

“Yeah, yeah. I got it.” The foreman stared down at him. “Now get your lazy ass back to work.” He sauntered lazily towards her, wiping his hands with a dirty bandana. “So,” his eyes fell on the coffee stain on her shirt. “You the troublemaker givin’ one of my boys a hard time?” 

She had the card at the ready. I’m a _lawyer_ , Mr…” 

“Madigan. Mason Madigan.” He held out a sizeable palm. She responded with a magicians’ sleight of hand, leaving the business card behind. 

“You recognize those names?” She quirked a brow and folded her arms. 

Mason grunted a response. “Yeah, I know ‘em. Don’t play around, do they?” 

“No, Mr. Madigan. They do not.” 

“So,” he glanced at the neat printing, “What can I do for you Ms. Xavier?” 

“Are you aware that your employee is a pig?” Her body language screamed _I’m ready for a fight._  

“No Ms. Xavier, I was not aware I had employed a barnyard animal.” He chuckled. 

“Let me spell it out for you. That man sexually harassed and threatened me.” She glared up at him, realizing how _tall_ he was. 

“Wait, what?” The foreman was taken aback. 

“I’m assuming _he_ had a different story?” Maxx rolled her eyes. 

“Hmm…” Mason nodded and stroked his moustache thoughtfully. “What did he say?” 

The lawyer’s body visibly relaxed at the question. She’d expected the crew’s leader to immediately deny the allegations. Try to cover for the piece of shit. Hackles down, she tapped her chin and contemplated his request. 

“Where should I start? Well, there was the wolf whistle,” She mimicked the sound for him. “The ever popular ‘ _nice ass’_ complete with accompanying hand motions.” She mirrored the groping gestures. “And once rebuked,” she counted each on on a finger, “I was suddenly a ‘dirty whore’, an ‘ugly bitch’, and a ‘crazy bitch’ who should ‘go kill myself’ because “nobody wants my ugly ass.’” She placed the counting hand on her hip with a flourish. “Do you see what I might be getting at here, Mr. Madigan?” 

“Yes, Ms _._ Xavier, I do.” He folded his arms and threw his head in the air. “BEAU, get your ass over here.” He turned his attention back to her. “Stick with me here, Xavier.” There was a small smile where his lips met as his employee came marching up. 

“Beau?” 

The man fussed with his hat nervously. “Yeah boss?”

“This chick here’s calling you a liar.” He stared down his nose at her. “Says you told her she had a great rack. Says you offered _$1000_ to take her home tonight.” He gave the man a “way-to-go” thumbs up, then half-whispered “I think you could’a low balled her, my friend.” 

Maxx’s face turned bright red at the comment, but before she could unleash verbal fury upon the two of them, Beau piped up. There was a slick expression on his face. 

“Boss,” his voice had perked up, “I never said nothin’ about her tits. You know I’m an ass man.” And once again, Beau mimed ass-grabbing and made a face. “And I wouldn’t pay this dirty whore one penny to suck my-“ 

“You’re fired.” 

“What?” Beau doubled over in shock. “Boss, you can’t be serious- this crazy bitch-” 

“I said,” he tugged nonchalantly at his shirt sleeves, “You’re. Fired.” 

The formerly employed construction worker fumbled angrily with his hat. He was muttering angrily to himself. “Can’t believe you…takin’ that dumb bitch’s side…fuckin’ ugly-ass-” 

Mason spoke quietly, but his voice had a dangerous edge. “Get your shit and get the fuck off’a my worksite.” 

The shorter man jumped and scampered towards the lockers. 

The foreman crossed his arms again and whistled through his teeth. “Well, that was fun.” He chuckled at the confusion on her face. “He was a lazy piece of shit anyway.” 

Maxx found herself smiling at the bastard. “Well,” She slid the hard hat off and shook out her hair. “You certainly know how to show a gal a good time.” The lawyer tipped the hat towards him and bent to retrieve her briefcase. She flashed him a genuine smile before turning to leave. “Thanks for that.” 

She’d only made it a few feet before he called to her. “Maxine Xavier.” 

The lawyer tossed a glance over her shoulder. 

“I like your style.” Mason smoothed his hair. “You ever want to get a drink-” He grinned. “You know where to find me.” 

Maxx twisted back around before he could see the red blooming across her face.

 

 __  
Mr Sandman, someone to hold (someone to hold)  
Would be so peachy before we're too old  
So please turn on your magic beam

_Mr Sandman, bring us, please, please, please_

 

Doctor Amari sighed, watching the mohawked raider snooze across from his charge in the memory pod. She hadn’t seen Maxine Xavior since… everything happened. Something told her she needed to keep the former Railroad agent’s whereabouts to herself. 

“The fuck are you starin’ at?” Gage had been a bear since he’d dragged his partner into the Memory Den. 

She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. “Mr. Gage, must you make things so difficult? Ms. Xavier needs time to _heal_.” 

 _If_ she was going to. It seemed every encounter with the woman lead Amari down increasingly risky scientific paths. _This_ time it was a medically induced coma facilitated by the memory loungers. 

Her protests were ignored, as she’d known they would be. 

_“Mr. Gage, customers of the Memory Den must supply a memory to get started. It’s how we interface with the brain. Without that, we have no way of knowing what will happen!”_

_“Look, Doc- you said you couldn’t keep her knocked out with meds because y’ain’t got ‘em.”_

_“Yes but-“_

_“Then plug her in.”_

_“Mr. Gage, I don’t think that’s a good-”_

_“Just plug her into the goddamned chair, Doc!” he had slammed his fist on the table in frustration._

_“Fine. But I’m not going to be held responsible if something goes wrong.”_

_Gage sighed. He sounded so tired. “It’s all we got.” The raider focused on Maxx. He was apologetic. “Look, doc I’m sorry. Been a long trip. Don’t take out any issue with me on the boss.”_

He pulled the blanket tighter around his shoulders and peered into the pod. “What d’you think’s going on in there?” Gage stared at his reflection in the glass. “Whatever it is, I hope its good.” 

“She seems like a very strong woman. If anyone’s going to come back from an injury of this magnitude, I believe she’s the one to do it.” 

Of course, the doctor wasn’t going to let on why she knew it. Maxx had made it through her nemesis’ mind unscathed. Certainly she could fight her way back from wherever she’d come from this time.

 

_Mr Sandman, bring us a dream_

 

For the second time, Mason was picking her up to take her out. The first time had been extremely casual. They’d really just wandered around his side of town. He’d taken her to the local pub. If she was honest, it had been a blast. She’d silently cursed the clock most of the day, waiting for evening to come. 

Presently, Maxx smoothed the curves of the sheath dress. The brilliant ruby fabric was soft under her fingertips. She fidgeted with the belt cinching her waist and fussed at the sweetheart neckline. 

 _Is it too much?_  

The matching clutch might have been. At least she’d left the gloves upstairs. She gave in to the compulsion to check her lipstick, pressing her lips together in a kissing motion. 

“Hope you’re not practicin’ on my account.” And there he was. 

She snapped the compact and fumbled it back into the cardinal-colored pocketbook. Her face practically matched her ensemble. She scrunched her nose at him, but he just smiled. 

He’d shed the overalls for a smart pair of slacks and suspenders. His shirt was clean and pressed and his jacket was folded over one arm. 

“What, you couldn’t bother with a tie?” Maxx purposely shifted the focus away from herself. 

“Don’t got any ties, boss.” He offered her an arm and she accepted, suddenly feeling strange. 

“Boss?” there was a faraway look in her eyes. 

“What, you don’t like the nickname?” 

“No, its,” she paused and looked up at him, “It’s nothing. Sorry, my brain’s always slow when I’m hungry.” 

“Well, let’s get some grub in ya.” 

Maxx nodded and pulled a gold cigarette case from the bag. “Got a light?” 

“Sure thing, _boss_.” Mason pulled a lighter from his pocket. She caught sight of the motif engraved on the side.

“Wait, what the hell is that?” Something about the angry-eyed beast felt familiar, but made her feel… _wrong_. 

“Don’t like the design?” He chuckled. “It’s a family thing. Madigan? Means ‘little dog’. When we all get together durin’ the holidays, everybody calls me and the cousins “the Pack” ‘cause we were always gettin’ into trouble together when we were younger.” 

“Oh.” She hugged his arm a little tighter, as if to keep herself from floating away. “Well isn’t that cute?” Maxx was saved by sarcasm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope it didn't get too surreal. I've had this idea brewing for some time now. I didn't realize thinking about Mason in Overalls would make me swoon quite so much tbh.
> 
> Anyways, I really hope you enjoyed the chapter. Comments and kudos always make my day!


	34. Chapter 34

 

Mason stared out above the treetops. Things had been quiet since the hostile takeover, but that didn’t mean the Pack wasn’t being extra vigilant. Only the most trustworthy members were being kept in the loop. He was the Alpha again, and the Alpha had a plan. 

It didn’t hurt that immersing himself in plotting meant that he didn’t have time to think about her. 

“Boss?” The sudden voice made him jump. 

“What is it?” he barked. The pack master kept his eyes on the horizon.

“News. The Doc- She sent a letter for you.” 

Mason turned his head and took the note, trading the young man a bag of caps for it. “Thank you.” He knew it didn’t cover the magnitude of the kid’s work, but it was something. 

The young buck disappeared towards the lift as the Pack’s Alpha unfolded the ratty note. He’d had to squint to read the woman’s tiny lettering, but it was better than no word at all. Everyone in the market had been suddenly placed under a microscope. Both gangs were allowed to shop at the marketplace once per week. Never on the same days. 

Nisha was making it difficult for the outliers to plot anything. She had her masked soldiers constantly walking the perimeters Slipping small notes to one another through the traders and the goods they bought was the most efficient way to communicate. It was how he currently knew that the Operators were purposely taking their time to get the machinery repaired at the bottling plant.

The strangest part was how easily the trust between Operators and Pack members came. The Black siblings had figured out early on that Nisha’s followers couldn’t be bought. They wanted payment in blood, not caps. Mags had at least been smart enough to test the waters on something inane: an extra shopping day. Her note had been concise.

 _They cannot be bought._  

Mason brought his attention back to the crumpled sheet in his hand. He sank onto the stool and turned the paper to the strongest lighting. Green eyes scanned back and forth suddenly stopping at one line.

_Small chance OB made it._

The note swirled gracefully to the floor. He held a hand to his open mouth and blinked slowly. His breath hitched in his throat and the Alpha sat back, watching the grisly scene play behind his eyes again. 

_Alive?_

_***_

The first thing to go had been her pumps and his shoes. Her fingers were clumsy as she worked at the buttons on his shirt. Their lips crashed together, leaving faint streaks of red in his moustache. 

She yanked the suspenders from his shoulders as he shrugged the shirt over well-formed biceps. His hands were desperately roaming the dress and its’ accompanying hardware. 

Maxx gripped his hands and tossed them aside while she spun her back to him. 

“Zipper.” 

She worked the belt off and felt him slide the zipper towards the ground. He tugged upwards on the skirt hem. She acquiesced and raised her arms over her head. The dress was nothing but a red pile on the floor and he moved on to her bra. She felt his teeth brush her neck and shivered as the brassiere joined her frock. He stepped back to take her in and shuddered in anticipation. 

Mason worked at the buttons and zipper on the trousers while Maxx tore at her stockings. He lifted her from behind and set her on the bed, kneeling to roll the rest of the hose from her feet. His hands slid up her outer thighs and he coaxed her onto her back while sliding the silky underwear down. Past her thighs. Over her knees. Down her shins. And finally, over her squirming toes. He tugged the boxers off and climbed over her. 

Both of them were tipsy, cheeks flushed and heat pounding through their bodies. He hummed next to her ear before kissing her earlobe. “I want you, Xavier.” Wiry moustache bristles tickled her cheek as he moved back to her mouth. “Just tell me what you want.” 

Too tongue-tied to speak, she wrapped her legs around him and pulled him close. Her hands brushed his sides on the way to his lower back and she pulled his hips towards her. He got the message loud and clear, teasing at her opening with the tip of his dick. Maxx let him know she was impatient, tearing into him with hungry claws. He responded with a hard thrust and felt her melt under him. 

“You want more?” She nodded and bit her lip at the sensation. He was taunting her. Moving slowly in and out, only to earn a moan each time he surprised her with a thrust. 

Her hands returned to his lower back, urging him forward until he picked up the tempo. He had her writhing under him and slipped his arm underneath her before rolling the Maxx on top of him. 

Mason watched her graceful movements as she took back control. He worked her nipples with one hand while the other slid lower. She sped up, enjoying the pleasurable sensations. She loved the feel of his hands on her, the way he looked at her while she moved against him. Maxx focused on his face, his eyes. The intensity between them grew, but neither of them broke their gaze. It wasn’t until the jolt of passionate energy exploded that she squeezed her eyes shut. He did the same and they came together, collapsing into each others’ arms. They panted in time with one another, and he kissed her tenderly. 

“Mmm… I could get used to this, boss.”

She smiled, feeling an odd sense of déjà vu. “Don’t push your luck, Mason.” 

As they lay together, she couldn’t shake the odd feeling. It seemed to be happening a lot lately. 

*** 

Gage and Amari had gotten themselves into a kind of routine. In the morning, the doctor would check in on her patient. He would help to gently roll Maxx sideways so her bandages could be changed. She would probe the wounds to remove any puss that had accumulated and check the sutures. 

After that, Gage would go out to work odd jobs to keep the Stimpaks flowing. He was careful never to use Maxx’s name, but somehow Daisy, the old ghoul shop keep, knew who was holed up in Doctor Amari’s office. She proved to be of no concern, and actually made it easier for him to get the medicine discreetly. All he had to do was help the caravans make the last leg of their trip to the town. It didn’t hurt that he wasn’t doing it all himself. He worked with a handful of Goodneighbor’s fine citizens. 

Daisy would pay him last, sliding a handful caps and a few doses of the wonder drug across the counter. When he had time to stop and think about it, he had to laugh at himself for being such a sentimental fool. Maxine Xavier had certainly made an impression on him. He turned back to look at her with a sigh. Even his mangled leg had healed faster. Gage laid a hand on the rounded glass of the pod. 

_C’mon Boss, get your shit together. Please._

***

Maxx and Mason pushed the revolving door as they smushed into the opening together and tiptoed around to the exit. She shivered at his breath on the back of her neck and felt the heat between them. The chill air was a welcome change. 

“You sure you don’t want to play hookie?” his moustache brushed her ear and she swatted him away. 

“Hey, some of us have _real_ jobs to get to- we don’t all get to play around.” She turned, noticing that he’d stopped several feet back. “What?” 

“You still don’t think I work a real job?” 

“Mason you know I didn’t mean it that way-” she dropped her eyes and picked at her nails. It wasn’t the first time she’d made his profession the butt of a joke. 

He stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets. “Yeah. Well I gotta get going. Don’t wanna be late. Y’know, for my _real_ job.” 

The honk of a car horn made both of them turn. 

“Hey Maxine- this guy givin’ you a hard time?” The man had dark, slicked back hair and an expensive suit. 

“Him?” Maxx looked frantically back to the handsome ginger. “No, he’s,” she stumbled over her words, trying to think of something fast. 

“Mason Madigan. The guy she _was_ fuckin.” He turned back and stared her down. “Now I’m leavin’.” The foreman called over his shoulder to the car, “Nice to meetcha.” And with that he turned on his heel and walked away. 

The man in the car loosed a low whistle. “Man, can you believe the balls on that guy? No way you’d slum it with some blue collar ginger.” She felt the tears pooling in her eyes. “Lemme drive you to the office, Maxine. Keep those low-lifes away from you.” 

She nodded, quickly wiping her eyes before stepping into the passenger seat. 

 _What the hell just happened_?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part of me wants to spend more time in this little AU. Its fun to imagine the two of them prewar. Hopefully you are enjoying it too :)
> 
> More good stuff coming along. Can't wait to share it!


	35. Chapter 35

She woke to the spinning blades of the ceiling fan. They blurred in and out until her vision finally cleared.

 

_Did I black out? What the hell happened?_

There were no liquor bottles anywhere and her head wasn’t pounding, but her side ached something fierce. Stranger still, there was nothing around that she would have fallen into.

 

Something was very, very wrong.

 

What happened while she was out? There was a dim notion of people talking at the very back of her mind. Soft images hovering above her, just out of sight. There had been a bright light, then nothing.

 

The water was cold splashing across her cheeks and up into her hairline. She tossed another handful into her face and patted off with a soft towel. Maxx gazed at herself in the mirror. She screamed, nearly slipping and knocking herself out again on the tile.

 

_What the fuck was that? On my neck?_

 

She peered slowly into the mirror and slapped her hand over her mouth to muffle the horrified sound. Her breaths came in quick rasps. She slid her hand from her mouth down the left side of her neck. The skin was a faded, fleshy pink. She could feel the texture of the divots where coral met tan.

 

_Scar tissue?_

 

Her attention turned to her mouth. The once small crack in her lip had become a one-inch bridge to her chin.

 

She didn’t know _what_ was happening, she just knew something was very, _very_ wrong.

 

***

 

“Hold her down!” Amari was struggling with the forceps as her patient thrashed about in her sleep.

 

Gage rushed to the doctor’s side. “God damn, doc- what the hell’s going on with her!?” He was pressing Maxx’s shoulders towards the seat. “You stab her or somethin’?”

 

“No Mr. Gage. I did not stab your friend.” She was losing her patience. “I was trying to remove the sutures and she seemed to become agitated.”

 

When her patient had finally stopped thrashing, the doctor stepped back and tapped her chin with the back of the tool. “Hmm…”She scrutinized Maxx’s features, then turned to check the monitoring computer. "He brainwaves are slightly abnormal. Something is causing her stress.”

 

“I thought you said she couldn’t feel pain in that damn thing!” Gage glowered.

 

“I don’t think it’s due to physical stimulus.” Amari squinted at the screen again before turning back to the raider. “Perhaps she is having a bad dream?”

 

Gage inhaled slowly. “You said before that you don’t know what’s goin’ on in there.” He nodded to the lounger and tapped his head. “I think it’s time to pull her out, Doc.”

 

She breathed a sigh of concern. “It’s not as easy as just pulling the plug, Mr. Gage.” The Doctor looked at him with a serious face. “Pulling her suddenly from wherever she is could have long-reaching consequences on her mind. It must be done slowly. “

 

“And how do you propose we’re gonna do that?”

 

“Mr. Gage,” She looked thoughtful. “What happens to you when you have nightmares?”

 

The raider glared at her and answered reluctantly. “I guess- I guess I usually wake up. Takes a minute to remind myself that it wasn’t real.”

 

“Exactly right, Mr. Gage!” She was smiling in a way that made him mildly uncomfortable.

 

“Exactly what?”

 

Doctor Amari began pacing while she mused aloud. “Our brains produce mental and physical responses to nightmares.” She gesticulated, speaking more to herself than the raider. “Most dreaming occurs in the visual cortex which is linked to your emotional response center.”

 

“And just what the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

 

“It means, Mr. Gage, that dreams can make your body respond- faster heart rate, sweating, heavy breathing- and it helps to wake you up.”

 

“So…”

 

“We give her adrenaline while she’s having a nightmare. The increased heart rate and breathing should push her to wake up, just as it would if that physiological process was occurring naturally.”

 

“You sure it ain’t gonna fry her brain, doc?” Gage was more concerned than he wanted to let on, but it was all over his face.

 

“No, her brain should be fine. I just have to check her brainwaves to see if she’s in late-stage REM.” Amari rushed herself to the monitor. Her fingers flew over the keys and she squinted at the screen. “It looks like she’s ready.”

 

The raider took a deep breath. His eyes lingered on Maxx and he said a silent prayer to no one in particular.

 

_She needs to be all right. Let her be all right._

 

***

 

Maxx was thankful for the brisk day. She’d wrapped her neck in a scarf and flung herself out the door. She was too preoccupied to bang on 3B and interrupt their early morning bickering. If she didn’t talk to somebody about this, she was going to explode from the anxiety alone.

 

There was only one person she could think of, and there was a huge chance he would refuse.

The skeleton of a building rose a few stories taller than the last time she’d seen it. It marveled her for a long moment. There was something strange about seeing _new_ architecture being built…

 

“What’re _you_ doin’ here?” Mason leaned against the doorframe to his office trailer. Her heart leapt at the sight of him, which even she knew was odd. They’d known each other, what? A couple of weeks? It was another small detail to toss onto the _something’s not right_ pile.

 

“I need to talk to you.”

 

“I ain’t got nothin’ to say, Xavier.” He glared down at her.

 

“Please. I know I don’t deserve it but-” There was a desperation to her face that managed to tug at him.

 

“Alright, alright just… Come inside, will ya?” He grumbled under his breath as the two disappeared inside.

 

Maxx tugged the scarf from around her neck as he turned around.

 

“Whoa! Jesus, Maxx what the fuck did you do?” His eyes scrutinized the lacerations on her neck.

 

“I didn’t do anything. That’s why I’m here,” She fidgeted with the scarf. “Mason, I think I’m going crazy. I-I woke up this morning and looked in the mirror and-”

 

He reached out and pulled her to him. “Hey, hey… shh.” He rubbed small circles on her back as she sniffled into the bib of his overalls. “Its gonna be alright.”

 

“And I know we haven’t known each other for a long time, but I feel like I’ve known you a lot longer and, and-” She was sobbing now. “N-none of it m-makes sense!”

 

“Of course it doesn’t.” He continued the circular motions. “Because none of it’s real, boss.”

 

She pulled back from him and stared in horror at their new surroundings. Everything had been destroyed. It was all rubble and filth. Ruined.

 

But _he_ still felt real.

 

“Hell, the last time I saw you I told you I was gonna kill your ass.” He chuckled. His hair had changed slightly. It was wilder. She buried her face into his front again, but the stiff denim was gone.

 

Maxx stepped backwards and stared up at him. He was completely different, but somehow more familiar with his painted face and burgundy fur pants. She knew it should have made no sense. Why would he wear such ridiculous things? How could they make _more_ sense than foreman’s overalls?

 

“I lied though. You know, about me wantin’ to kill you.” He grinned at her. “I can be a little more honest when I’m here in your head.” He tapped his temple. “And looks like you’re back to normal now too.”

 

The Overboss stared down at the well-worn leather jacket. She felt a heavy weight on her thigh.

 

_My revolver._

 

The less sense things made, the more sense they made. Maxx met his eyes. He put his arms out and beckoned her back to him with a soft smile. “C’mon Xavier. I think its time we stop fuckin’ around.”

 

There was a warm happiness starting to spread into her limbs. It rose from her chest to the top of her head down to her toes. And she knew what it was. A small smile blossomed across her face as she felt his arms around her again. As she breathed him in.

 

“Mason, I-”

 

Maxx never finished the thought as she felt the cold steel plunge into her side. It played out in slow motion. Her eyes squeezed tight, only to open and see the look on his face. There wasn’t anger, just… _sadness_?

 

“Alright _boss_ , I think its time you woke up.” He wrenched the knife from her side and kissed her fiercely.

 

“If I see you in Pack territory…Well, you know.”

 

***

 

Maxx’s eyes burst open and she flew upward only to smash her head into the tempered glass. Her fingers scrutinized her side, and her eyes went wide. She stared around like a frantic animal caught in a trap. The lid wouldn’t budge as she gave it a pitiful push.

 

_What the fuck? Where am I? Gotta get out-_

Gage and the doctor came rushing into the dingy room at the sounds of the Overboss’ fists against the glass. She opened her mouth to call out. It was a ghost of a sound and she swallowed hard.

 

“Maxx?!” The raider skidded to a halt in front of the pod and slammed the release button.

 

“G-Gage,” she croaked, “What happened? Where are we? Why-” She rubbed at her throat. It was already raw and Maxx was forced to whisper.

 

“Alright, calm down Boss. No need to tucker yourself out.” He heaved a sigh of relief. “We’re at the memory den. The Doc here patched you up.” Gage weighed his words. “You, well you got stabbed. I thought you were gonna die, Maxine.” He reached out a hand and cupped her cheek.

 

She covered his hand with her own. “I-I got,” She stared at his face, trying to find some kind of meaning. An answer. “Who?”

 

“I dunno- never seen the woman before. Dressed in Pack gear.” He held out a hand to her and braced his knees.

 

“What?” The Overboss looked alarmed. “Did _he_ ,” she ran a hand through her hair. “Who sent her?”

 

“Whoa, whoa. Calm down boss. Take a minute to breathe.” He wiggled his fingers at her. “Let’s get you outta that thing.”

 

Maxx took his hand and tried to push herself out of the machine. A deep sense of confusion overwhelmed her when her legs refused to lift her. Gage pulled her out like a small child. “Why can’t I…” Her eyes were filling with tears.

 

The raider swung his arm and caught her under the legs.

“Lets put her in one of the beds upstairs Mr. Gage.” He almost jumped at the sudden sound of Amari’s voice.

 

“Yeah, alright Doc.” He gave Maxx an awkward, encouraging smile as she clung to him.

 

“Gage. I-” Her voice caught in her throat.

 

“S’Alright, Boss. You’re gonna be alright.

 

_I hope._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thanksgiving! Hopefully this gave you something to read while you:
> 
> -digested your food  
> -waited in line for black Friday sales  
> -ignored your family members and their politics  
> -sat back and relaxed


	36. Chapter 36

Nisha grinned wickedly and stared down at the young, painted face. “I’ll at least do you a small favor,” She paused for effect, “And ask you why you’re here?” The boy’s knees shook and his breathing was shallow.

“I- I dunno Ma’am.” He was wide-eyed. A sheep in the wolves’ den. “D-did I do somethin’ wrong?” 

“Oh my,” came a saccharine sweet drawl behind him, “Well that’s just a big ol’ lie, idn’t it?” Dixie pooched her lips out in an exaggerated frown. “It’s not nice to lie.” She stood in front of him and pointed the knife towards his neck. The raider pulled a small, crumpled piece of paper from her pocket. She dangled the loosely coded message above his head. “Now that wasn’t very smart, was it li’l boy?” 

He could feel the razor tip gliding loosely along the fragile skin. By now the boy was shaking so much he couldn’t speak. His wrists hurt as fight-or-flight had him tugging discreetly at the bonds. 

“Especially since I had to miss out on all the _fun_ everyone else got t’have with our former Overboss while I was out runnin’ silly li’l errands.” The Disciple tossed a frown at her leader. She’d been happy to bring it up as often as possible without crossing the line. “But that’s alright because Ms. Nisha here’s keeping things fair.” 

Her grin was far more disturbing with her face hidden behind the iron and steel. She trailed the knife downwards. A sudden slash made the boy cry out in fright. Dixie was playing with him. 

“Would you like to know _how_ Ms. Nisha is keepin’ things fair, honey?” She placed a boot on his shoulder and shoved him backwards. “She’s lettin’ _me_ deal with the _traitors_.” 

The paint on his face was eroded by silent streams of tears. He kicked feverishly at the dirt, trying in vain to slide his body away from her. Away from _them_. 

“Aw, now don’t be shy darlin’,” Her sharpened teeth were suddenly illuminated as she stepped into the firelight. “We’re gonna have some fun.” 

*** 

“ _God damnit!_ ” His knuckles crashed into a nearby wall. “I’m gonna _kill_ that bitch!” Mason’s chest was heaving. Red washed over his vision and he stomped towards the gates.

“Boss, you can’t go there-” 

“The hell I can’t!” 

“Boss, there’s too many!” 

“Then I’ll have to kill ‘em all.” Every word was a savage growl. A handful of Pack members followed several paces behind him. “I need justice for me an’ mine!” 

“Boss, you _need_ to bury him!” 

That got his attention. He rounded on the emerald-haired woman. “She’s gotta pay for making me _have_ ’ta bury him.” 

“You can’t go, Mason.” Her voice shook. “You can’t leave us all now.” The woman’s voice got even quieter. “He deserves to be buried.” 

The look on her face drained the hot, surface level anger from him. His vision cleared and he stared the irregular mass on the cement surface. “Bring me a shovel,” he barked the order and marched towards the body. 

There were several Pack members surrounding and keeping it safe. They cleared a path for their leader. The Alpha swung the boy over his shoulder. He was surprisingly gentle. A member of the circle proffered a shovel. Mason took it wordlessly and moved away from the group. They knew very well to leave him to it. It was his way. 

The pack master didn’t give a shit about the patrols. The kid had to be buried, and it had to be outside the walls. He laid the body on the grassy surface and got to work. The digging took several hours. There was sweat in his eyes and his tank top was sodden and stuck to his back.

 _Finally deep enough_. 

Mason flung the dirt-covered tool away from him and knelt next to the boy. He peeled the fabric shroud back carefully to reveal the grisly truth. They would have taken their time with him. Bled him with slow cuts, making them deeper, more painful the longer he stayed conscious. He refused to look away from the oversized “T” carved into the boy’s bony chest. 

 _T is for ‘traitor’._  

With gentle fingers and great sadness he re-covered the boy’s face. He had killed many people in his lifetime, but they were never tortured. And they were never so young. It was disgusting. 

The dirt soon hid the boy’s body from sight. By the time Mason had finished, night was beginning to fall. The last of the sunlight seemed to kiss the sky in a soft pink fading into blue-black. He stared into the darkness and thought of Maxx with a pang. 

_Did anyone bury her? Or is she just another corpse littering the wasteland?_

*** 

Maxx had to take things slow. It was absolutely maddening. Want to eat? Have some broth. Want to eat actual food? Not without throwing it up. Want to take a simple walk between rooms? Not without feeling 100 years old and struggling to breathe.

One month. One whole, entire month she’d been strapped in that god damned chair. And even now, her side still hurt. The muscles cried out at the wrong movement and she was still getting poked daily with Stimpaks. Apparently it took longer for your insides to heal than your outsides. Thankfully, everything else seemed to be resolving itself. 

The glass exploded into a satisfying mess of shards. The one next to it remained unbroken and she glared, as if to break it by willpower alone. Muscle memory was great until you gave it a month’s vacation. She’d been on the roof for over an hour. 

“God _damnit_!” She ran a hand through her hair feeling lost. Maxx marched over to the bottle and snatched it up. She unleashed her full, pathetic fury on the thing and watched it burst on the ground. “Fucking piece of shit.” The former Overboss spat on the pile and kicked at a large chunk of brown glass. 

“Maxine.” He hovered in the doorway with his arms crossed. 

“Porter.” She didn’t bother turning around. The two had been on less than friendly terms when he refused to leave Goodneighbor until she was back to normal. What he considered “normal” wasn’t exactly clear and he’d found every way to keep them grounded that he possibly could.

“You’ve been up here for a while.” He let the thought hang in the air. “Doc managed to score us some hot grub. Could come down for a bite…”

She didn’t offer a response. 

“C’mon Boss, you need t’eat. Thought you wanted to get your strength back.” 

That did it. “Fine. I’ll be down in a minute.” 

He nodded and disappeared. A chill breeze blew across the flattened cement plane. She shivered and tugged her jacket closed. It was the only piece of clothing to survive the _incident_ and she was glad for it. The night wasn’t as dark here as it was outside the city. She smiled softly at the orange glow of fire below. It reminded her of his hair. Wild and wavy and bright. 

_“Alright, boss. I think it’s time you woke up.”_

Maxx shuddered, feeling her side throb. 

*** 

Mason had begun -with help- to chart the comings and goings of the Disciples. He’d kept a close eye on Pack members, trying to keep a level head while looking for suspicious behavior. There had to be some kind of pattern, hadn’t there? 

He rubbed at his eyes and temples with a sigh. The stress was making his neck and shoulders stiff. He stood and rolled them, trying to ease some of the tension. 

“Cito happy you living here with Cito and family.” The wildman had taken to hanging around more and more often after Mason had explained- or tried to- why Cito had to stay inside the walls. 

He studied the man’s dark eyes and found himself envious. Cito never seemed to be upset about much of anything. The man lived a simple life, taking care of his friends and family. Mason hadn’t the heart to tell him about the Boss’ fate. He breathed a deep sigh. 

“Alright Cito. Mason happy too, but could you do me a favor and go guard the place?” He was doing his best not to be brusque. He blamed Maxx for that shit. She had been kind to the man, and the man had saved his life so… He _supposed_ he could be a _little_ nicer.

“Cito protect family. Cito smash bad people with hammer!” He shook the sledgehammer in the air.

“Sounds good. You go… do that.” The Alpha’s attempt as a smile was more of a grimace as he waited impatiently for the wildman to leave. He relaxed his posture at the sound of the lift. Cito’s voice carried from the other room. 

“You not go past Cito. Metal faces not allowed here.” Cito bared his teeth at the Disciple.

“You’re gonna let me through if you want to keep that arm.” The woman’s voice rasped from under the mask. “I’m here for Mason, monkey boy.”

Cito bent his knees and clutched the sledge with both hands. “Cito not monkey.” His eyes had a dangerous shine to them. “You leave _now_.”

“It’s alright, Cito.” Mason was leaning against the doorframe. “I dunno what this crazy bitch told them to make it all the way up here,” he stared harshly, “But it must’ve been…important.” 

Cito lowered the weapon and nodded slowly. 

“Cito, I need you to go check things out on the ground.” 

The man paused and looked between the two. “Mason sure?”

He nodded. “I’m good.”

The Alpha waited for the sound of the lift before speaking. “The fuck is one of Nisha’s little creepers doin’ in Pack territory?” He eyed her distrustfully and took a commanding step. “You ain’t supposed to be here.” 

The Disciple stayed silent and watched him drag himself forward to tower over her.

“The last one’a ya around here dropped off a very special package. Was it you?”

The mask continued to stare blankly ahead. His next movement was a blur. He took her by the shoulders and slammed her back into the wall. He held her in place with one arm and ripped at the metal on her face. She didn’t flinch. 

Mason froze, dropping the mask. The impact of iron against hardwood was deafening. There were spots in his vision and a ringing in his ears. He flung himself away from her, and his voice was an angry rumble. 

“ _You_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I so enjoyed writing this one. Hope you enjoyed reading it ;)


	37. Chapter 37

“Gage, we need to talk about something.”

The raider was real tired of talking to her at this point. “If yer gonna try some other method of convincing me to leave this hellhole, I don’t wanna hear it, Maxine.” He folded his arms and refused to make eye contact. 

“We _are_ going back. I need to know that you’re with me when we go.” 

He looked hurt. “You really think you gotta ask, Boss?” He pulled a slightly collapsed pack of cigarettes from his pocket and stuck one in his mouth. The lighter clicked angrily and she watched the pack arc before hitting her lap. 

“Well what am I supposed to think, Porter? You keep me here- every time I turn around there’s some shiny new excuse why we can’t fucking leave.” She’d lost her temper unfairly and she knew it, but she refused to apologize. Instead, she angrily lit her own cigarette, puffing away into the night air. 

Gage stood wordlessly and walked away. The hot orange cherry landed at her feet and she watched it roll. Tears of frustration leaked from her eyes and she wiped at them furiously. 

She sat for a long time chain smoking, smoldering, wishing, wanting… 

Come hell or high water they were getting out of Goodneighbor. It had been long enough. 

***

Porter Gage had finally given in to the ultimatum. It hadn’t been pretty, but it had worked. He’d been too angry to speak to her- even while fighting off a small horde of ferals. 

He didn’t know how, but Maxx had managed to finagle a .50 caliber rifle off of somebody in Goodneighbor. It was one of a fair amount of supplies that just happened to appear in their packs. He had been curious, but too resentful to bother asking. It seemed there was a lot about her past that she’d neglected to share.

Making the trek back was taking much longer than the harried, frantic marathon that got them there. Even as night approached the air was hot. His skin stung with sunburn and the haphazard jumble of armor rubbed at it uncomfortably. They’d both left things in Nuka World. For him, it was the twisted yellow armor. For her it was everything else.

“We’ll sleep here for the night.” She motioned to the circle of cabins surrounding what looked like a barn. 

“The fuck is that?” He squinted, trying to make out whatever was making the strange noises. As they approached, it turned out to be a very interesting Mr. Handy. 

“Groovy, man.” It stretched out the syllables as it completed another rotation around the central structure.

“Bet you didn’t know robots got high.” Maxx’s chuckle was measured. She was testing the waters.

He breathed a deep sigh and decided to throw her a bone. “Most raiders’d say it sounds like a good waste of chems.”

She led them to a cabin with two beds. The wrought iron frames and springs groaned under their packs, but it was a great deal more comfortable than solid ground. Also didn’t that the door locked. 

He gave her space and let her build a fire in the pit outside. Her questions, the ultimatum- they’d cut him deep. But he knew part of her was right to ask. Right to push. Truth was, he didn’t really know if this was a fight he wanted to be a part of. 

“Everything about that goddamned place is a war.” He uncapped a bottle of abandoned whiskey on the bookshelf and sniffed at it. “Good enough.” He slid it into the olive pocket of his fatigues and trudged out to meet her. 

“Maxine.” 

She froze and turned her attention to him. “Gage?” The Overboss was actively holding her breath. 

“Wanna drink?” he flashed her a small grin and pulled the bottle from his pocket. 

Her shoulders relaxed and she took a breath. “Of course.” Maxx motioned for him to come sit down. They sat for a time and passed the amber bottle back and forth like a slow pendulum. 

“I know why you wouldn’t want to go back.”

“I-” he faltered and took a long swig.

“It’s ok. I don’t really know why I’m going back either.” She pushed her hair back and let it fall back into her face.

“Bullshit, Xavier.” The bottle made a resounding thump against the wood. “You know exactly why you’re draggin’ our sorry asses back there.” 

She rolled her eyes. The liquor had tinted her cheeks and made her eyes glassy. “I dunno what you’re talkin’ about, Gage.” She reached for the glass container. 

“The hell you don’t.” he smacked her hand away and tipped it down his own throat, finishing the bottle. “And if you can’t admit it, then I’m not goin’ a damn step further.” 

He stood, hovering over her. “Why are you dragging me back to a war zone, Maxine?” 

“Because.” 

“Why,” Gage leaned down and got in her face, “Are we going back?” 

“Because I fucking said so, Porter.”

He inched closer and stuck a finger dangerously close to her nose. “You tell me, or you go alone.” 

“Because I love him, ok. I can’t leave him there with _them_. With _her_.” She sprang up and away from him. “Because he thinks I’m _dead_ , Gage.” Maxx scraped the angry tears away from her cheeks and stalked off. 

When he finally made his way in, he found her tucked into a ball and shivering in the cool night air. The sleeping bag floated over her body like a dying parachute. Gage sat at the edge of his bunk, gripping his chin in thought. Wouldn’t he have done the same in her position?

***

Nisha had been smart enough to station sentries at the depot. Maxx smiled at their good fortune.

“The hell are you smilin’ about?” 

“Watch and see.” Maxx rested the barrel of the rifle against the concrete wall and lined up her shot. “Get ready in case I miss. You got the grenades?” 

Gage rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah Boss. We gonna do this or what?” 

The Overboss squeezed the trigger and watched the Disciple crash towards the ground. “Or what.” She swung the sights towards the other masked figure but couldn’t lock them down. “Gage!”

She heard the pin rattle and ducked, covering her ears at the blast. “We get ‘er?”

Gage stood up, nodding. “Yup. She’s there, and there, and over there.” He pointed each direction with a grin.

“C’mon. We gotta get down there.” Maxx was already sprinting her way to the ground. “We need to get the drop on ‘em if they heard the grenade!”

The raider stood and cracked his back. “I’m comin’, I’m comin’.” 

She was determined. There were a few stray sounds coming from below, but after several minutes it seemed that no one was coming their way. Gage knelt beside her, peering at the double doors. 

“Help me strip her.” 

It took him a moment to process the command. 

“Quick, damnit! Before any _more_ blood gets on the clothes.” She tugged her rifle and jacket from her shoulders before peeling off her tank top. “Quick, gimme the top.” She slipped into the rags and yanked the mask and hood from the dead woman. Thankfully, they were relatively clean as she slipped both over her head. 

“Shit these things are hard to see out of.” The mask yawned open again and she busied herself working the jagged pieces of armor from the corpse. 

Gage yanked the last of the pieces and pushed them towards the Overboss. She fussed at the odd strapping, but finally managed to reassemble the Disciples’ outfit. Hands on her hips, she gazed his way. 

“Well?”

“Put the mask down, ya idiot.” 

Maxx rolled her eyes, sliding the twisted metal into place. “And?”

Gage stood back and inspected her. With all of her typical features hidden, she looked the part. “Gotta watch your scar, but other’n that you definitely look like one of them bloodthirsty psychos.” 

“Then its time.” She breathed deep and met his gaze through the visor. “You ready?”

“Yeah Boss. I’m ready.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter'll be out near my birthday! I hope you enjoyed this lil filler chapter. Look for more in about a week.


	38. Chapter 38

She steered Gage down the stairs, gripping the back of his coat. A voice rose from the bottom of the stairs. “That you, Trace?”

Maxx halted in front of the raider and brandished her prize.

“Looks like I’m gonna get in a little extra special slicing and dicing.” The Overboss’ grin was convincingly sickening. “Think Nisha’ll mind if he’s missing a few fingers?” She twisted the knife around in front of Gage’s face. 

“She probably wouldn’t mind if it was just a few...” The shrouded woman opposite them smiled dangerously. She licked her lips in anticipation.

Maxx turned to face Gage, taking his face in her hands and holding a knife to his cheek. She nodded ever so slightly and felt the revolver slide out of her belt. He blinked hard and she twisted out of the way. The bullet thundered through the Disciple’s exposed abdomen. She made an awful groan and fell forward. 

“Welp, there’s your disguise. Better get it before its too saturated.” Maxx stuck her tongue out in disgust and holstered the pistol. 

“Well, shit help me out here, Boss.” They knelt next to the fallen Disciple and removed the armor piece by piece. She was growing colder by the minute. 

“Still can’t believe she only had three guarding the depot.” She tapped her chin. “We can’t take the train. Too suspicious.” 

The raider was struggling to fasten the awkward pieces of armor around him. “Well just how in the hell are we gonna get there then?” 

“Well, Gage,” She lifted the mask to flash him a telling smile. “You gotta crawl before you can walk.” 

He groaned. 

***

Maxx had discovered though Nuka World felt like an alternate reality, it was in fact only several miles out from the train depot. The two of them had made good time and found themselves waiting for the cover of darkness. They moved as far from the cement hole as they dared. Being spotted this far out would lead to questions, and those led to nothing good. 

She stared out through her scope as she had for most of the afternoon. 

“Anything interesting, Boss?” Gage scratched at his armpits. “Damn shirt makes me itch.”

The Overboss chuckled, lowering the rifle. “Looks like they are pretty much constantly on the move. Keeps things just unpredictable enough.” 

“So what’s the plan?” 

“You’re not going to like it…” Her gaze was direct. “We have no idea what’s gone down since my _impeachment_ -” 

“Just get to the point, Maxine.” 

“We’re walking into the lion’s den, Porter.” 

“Fuckin’ fantastic, Boss.” 

The last of the sunlight dipped below the horizon as they stared at one another. 

“C’mon.” She stood and proffered a hand. 

***

The market was practically a ghost town. The only gang members left in Nuka Town were Disciples. Maxx had left a very nervous Gage below the transit station so she could gather intel. Some of the information came from the raiders themselves chatting or boasting about the change in management. The rest came from the traders.

“So,” she paused to take a juicy bite of mutfruit, “Who’s your favorite gang?” 

Shelby blanched. Her eyes darted around the open space and her hands shook. “Y-you guys, of c-course. I-it’s nice to only s-see the other gangs once p-per week I guess.” 

Maxx took another bite of the mutfruit, letting a few drops of juice fall on the aged wooden counter. “I’m guessin’ it must be nice not havin’ to see those animal fucking creeps around all the time.” She chuckled low and slurped up the excess juice leaking from the fruit. “Think they called themselves the zoo or somethin’?”

“I g-guess so.” 

“Think I’ll go pay those rainbow critters a visit. Maybe roast a few on a spit.” 

Shelby was ghostly white and looked as if she might pass out. “That’s, that’s a g-good joke. But aren’t the other gangs o-off limits?” 

“What?” Maxx leaned over the counter and gripped the woman by her shirt. “You tryin’a tell me what to do?” 

“N-no! I-I-I just didn’t th-think-” 

“That’s the problem.” She knocked on the trader’s skull with a cackle. “Aye, I’m just fuckin’ with ya.” She released Shelby and brought the fruit back to her mouth, turning to leave. “And Chase,” Maxx glanced over her shoulder, “Thanks for the grub.”

 As soon as she walked through the gates, the Overboss sucked in a deep breath. Her knees shook slightly and her nerves were lit up, ready to speed her away from danger. She breathed intensely and moved with purpose. The other Disciples wandered the grounds but took no notice of her. 

“Gage?” she hissed through her teeth. “Gage, it’s me.” 

“Well who the hell else would you be, brainiac?” He motioned her over to a bench. 

“Looks like everybody has a different spot. Pretty sure the Pack’s holed up in Safari Kingdom.” 

“Maxine-”

"Gage, I know what you’re gonna say.”

“No, you don’t.” He held a finger to her mouth before she could argue. “If you’re gonna do this, you do it smart. And I’ll bet you already have a plan in mind.” 

“Let’s hope it works.” She sighed and played at a piece of hair under the hood. 

“So?” he nudged her shoulder with his own. 

“So what?”

“What’re we doin?”

Maxx paused. “Well, you remember where that gatorclaw nearly killed you?”

“Uh…” 

***

“You’re awful goddamned lucky its nighttime. That chest hair with your skirt would be an immediate giveaway in the daylight.” The pair fumbled their way along the wall, feeling the rising incline in their calves and thighs. “Ah ha!” Maxx stopped in front of the particular section with a grin. “So this is where I leave you.” 

Gage grumbled under his breath. 

“You keep walking and you’ll see the trailers. We’ll meet back up there by tomorrow night.” 

“You’d better be damn careful, Maxine.” His voice was hoarse. She knew what he meant. 

“You too.” She hugged him close and felt the extra moisture in her eyes. “Find a way to get to the Blacks. Don’t talk to anybody but them.” 

The Overboss ended their conversation by hopping on top of the wall encircling Safari Kingdom. It would be easy enough to spy on the Pack. But she’d have to find a good spot to drop in. She scanned the area, picking out familiar sites and watching the figures mill about below. 

And there was the spot. The drop was still pretty steep, but it was her best chance. Maxx eyeballed the distances and took a deep breath. She vaguely recalled a childhood memory involving trees as she careened towards the ground. 

With a triumphant grin, she pumped her fist in the air. She’d landed solidly on the roof as planned, rolling to a stop. The Overboss stood and shook out her feet. The impact lit up her nerves and her feet buzzed with electricity. She frowned. A rifle with a scope would’ve been extremely helpful, but Maxx didn’t think she’d ever seen a Disciple wielding more than a pistol. Maybe an automatic something, but never a _proper_ rifle. 

She breathed an exasperated sigh and army crawled towards the ledge. It was late and most of the activity had died down. Just as expected, most of Mason’s people were guarding the main doorway. A few meandered around the circumference of the wall. Their pace showed their lack of energy. Or concern. Or both. 

Most of the rest seemed to have disappeared. Would they be living in the visitors’ center? The reptile room? She shuddered at the thought of the underground facility. A shout sounded from the front gates and her heart stopped. 

_Shit they found me!_  

But the wall-walkers ran _towards_ the commotion. She breathed a heady sigh of relief. The emotional break was short lived. She had to act now or risk being caught. It was the best chance she was going to get. 

Maxx flew like a ninja towards the winding walls of the labyrinth. Scenes of the exploding gatorclaw flashed behind her eyes and she found herself silently chuckling. 

_There was a bench or something around here…_  

She spotted it and took a step back to get a running start. This would be the test that determined just how far her recovery had come. Like a runner at the starting gun, she threw herself forward and vaulted from the bench to the near top of the wall. Her boots scrabbled the cement as she pulled herself the rest of the way up. Her side groaned in protest and her biceps felt worn out, but she’d made it. 

The Overboss wrapped herself in darkness like a cloak. She crept silently along the brick track and watched for security. The elevator was so close… But there were two gatekeepers built like trucks and wide awake. 

_Figures he’d put capable soldiers at his front door._  

Maxx rolled her eyes. There were still muffled voices coming from the front of the park. She decided to try her luck. 

“Can we get a little help over here!” She cupped her mouth, throwing her voice. It was a benign enough request to move them without making the platform a target. A grin spread across her face as the two lumbered towards the exit. The expression dissolved into grim reservation as she slithered down the wall. With each step towards the yellow metal her heart pounded against her ribs. The deep ache in her side was shoved to the back of her mind as a trembling hand hovered over the glowing red switch. 

Maxx slapped it harder than necessary and hit the deck. It had to look like the Pack’s leader had summoned the lift. It shuddered as it reached the height of the treehouse and she pulled herself to her feet. Her knees were trembling and it took a moment to un-wring her white knuckles from the safety railing. 

_Breathe. In. Out._  

The sudden threat made her jump. 

“You not go past Cito. Metal faces not allowed here.” His teeth caught the light, and she remembered how formidable the wildman could be. 

Nervous energy made her snap. “You’re gonna let me through if you want to keep that arm.” She gripped the knife and held it at her side, praying that it didn’t come to blows. “I’m here for Mason, monkey boy.” 

That got him. “Cito not monkey.” His eyes had a dangerous shine to them. “You leave _now_.” 

Maxx tightened her grip on the blade, muscles tensing. The last thing she wanted to do was reveal herself to someone who didn’t comprehend the concept of _secret_. Her shoulders relaxed at the familiar rumble from the doorframe.

“It’s alright, Cito.” The packmaster paused to glare at her. “I dunno what this crazy bitch told them to make it all the way up here, but it must’ve been…important.” 

The dark haired man slowly lowered his weapon. His face was a mixture of concern and confusion. 

“Cito, I need you to go check things out on the ground.” He had taken a step down from the doorway. 

Maxx watched Cito’s eyes move between them. “Mason sure?” 

He nodded. “I’m good.” 

They stood in silence. She watched the wildman descend, feeling the anxiety bloom between her chest and stomach. The Alpha stared her down. 

“The fuck is one of Nisha’s little creepers doin’ in Pack territory?” Maxx wanted to flinch as he stomped towards her. It took two good steps for him to cross the room. His moustache twitched in agitation. “You ain’t supposed to be here.” 

She froze, staring upwards into angry emerald pools. They glowed like plasma. Her knees were weak and she felt she might disintegrate into a radioactive pile beneath his stare. The boom of his tenor brought her back to the present. 

“The last one’a ya around here dropped off a very special package. Was it you?” 

Maxx didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know if she should answer the question. Take the mask off. Run and jump off the ledge…

Considering her options came to a painful and abrupt end as the Overboss found herself pinned. Time slowed to a crawl. Dust from the fresh hole in the drywall floated peacefully through the air. She watched his giant palm explode into view and braced for the impact. A cool breath of night air caressed her cheeks and Maxx found herself staring into the shocked face of the Pack’s Alpha. 

“ _You_.” 

Mason sprang away from her and rubbed his eyes, blinking furiously. But it wasn’t a dream. There she was. She was right there. In front of him. 

Dark hair sprouted from under the olive hood. She pulled the strands behind an ear and rubbed her side gingerly. “Sure know how to show a lady a good time.” She swept the hood backwards. 

“You…” He pushed his hair back from the hairline. “You can’t- How did-” The giant redhead swooned and felt the ground rushing up to meet him. “ _Fuck_!” 

Maxx covered her mouth to keep from laughing. “At least your ass took the brunt of it.” 

There were too many thoughts swirling around his brain. He stared at her face catatonically. Was she really there? Mason blinked and ground his palms into his eyes. His hands came away wet, and his vision was blurry. Maxx lowered herself slowly and knelt in front of him. 

“Yes, Mr. _Alpha_. I’m actually here.” Her playful tone sobered. “I’m not…dead.” The same hunk of hair that always fell forward hovered in front of her face. It was longer than he remembered. “And look, I just wanted to say after everything that happened-” 

She crossed her eyes, watching his hand reach and tuck the tresses behind her ear. His touch was gentle as rough fingers dipped to her cheek. The gesture made her blush and she bit her lip nervously. 

“I _wanted_ to say-“ 

He silenced her with a long kiss. Bright, wiry whiskers tickled around her mouth. They wore matching smiles as their tears met in the middle of smushed cheeks. 

“I love you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey I'm not dead! I can't believe how close this whole story is to being finished. Maybe that's what scared me away for a bit. Be assured though, I WILL be finishing this fic.
> 
> Besides, I missed these little shits.


	39. Chapter 39

The light was soft as it caressed the tanned skin of her shoulder. She could feel the warmth of his breath as he peppered kisses in the crook of her neck. A soft smile graced the corner of her mouth as his hands caressed down her sides. Strong hands pulled her closer. Her face flushed at the rumble of his voice in her ear and the stiffness at her backside.

A moan escaped her as he snuck inside. They began to writhe in tandem. His grip was firm at her hips and she twisted to meet his mouth. His teeth nipped at the tender flesh of her neck as the heat rose between their bodies. Their breaths came in sharp gasps, sheets snaking themselves around bare feet. 

“Cito save Mason!” The wildman leapt like an animal and there was a sudden weight at the end of the mattress. 

Maxx’s eyes went wide at the sight of him towering, sledgehammer over his head. She and Mason sat up together, the Alpha raising an arm to shield the coming blow. 

“Whoa whoa whoa!” Mason bellowed and sat up, leaving the sheet to slip away.

“Cito its ME!” Maxx struggled to her feet, slipping and sliding around the twisted bedding. “It’s me! Boss- er, Maxx!” The bedclothes tangled around her feet and she was falling forward. 

Cito dropped the hammer behind him. His mouth was agape at the sight of her- alive, somewhat naked, and tumbling forward. Mason scrambled to catch her, only to find himself being dragged down. The three of them collapsed into a motley pile. Sheets, limbs, and loincloths knotted them together. 

Maxx groaned. “I don’t want to know what my hand is touching.” 

Cito blushed. “Boss’ hand is- 

Mason managed to hold up a finger. “Don’t finish that sentence.” 

They all managed to roll, tug, and drag themselves free. Maxx knotted the sheet around her chest while Cito busied himself with grabbing his sledgehammer. Mason took the moment to shimmy into his pants. 

“Cito is sorry. Mason never come down after metal face go up.” He looked suddenly suspicious. “Where metal face go?” His grip around the wooden handle tightened. 

“It was her, you big idiot!” The Pack master gestured at her body. 

“Boss not a metal face- she’s Boss.” He seemed confident in his conclusion. 

She couldn’t help but chuckle. “I had to hide from the metal faces. They can’t know I’m here. _Nobody_ can know, ok Cito?” 

“So Cito no tell anybody about Boss?” He looked sad at the idea. “But Cito miss you. Cito brother Chris miss you too.” 

The Overboss gave his arm a squeeze. “Not yet. But soon.” She smiled warmly. “We have to get the metal faces out first.” 

His sudden embrace took her by surprise. He gave her a tight squeeze and took her by the shoulders, making direct eye contact. “You never go away again, Boss. It make Mason and Cito very sad.” 

Maxx nodded slowly and patted the wildman’s oversized hands. “Alright, alright. I promise.” 

“You’d better mean that, _boss_.” Mason’s expression was sober. His gaze cut into her. The guilt. She couldn’t imagine how hard it must’ve been to think the person he _loved_? Was dead.

Maxx breathed deeply. “Yeah. I mean it. I promise.” Her gaze was intense. “Now Cito can you give us some privacy?” She made shooing motions.

“Oh! Yes, Cito sorry.” He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and disappeared to the other side of the treehouse. 

Mason reached out and took her hand. She let herself lean into him while he held her for a long moment. “Cito was right, Xavier. We were miserable without you. His lips trembled. “ _I_ was miserable without you.” He gave her an extra squeeze. “I lied though. You know, about me wantin’ to kill you. And I’m sorry.” 

“I know.” She leaned up and kissed his cheek. 

 _You told me in a dream._  

***

“Ok. What can you tell me?” Maxx and Mason stared across the table at each other.

His moustache twitched. 

“What?” 

“It’s that getup- weirds me out.” He shuddered. 

“Not the most comfortable or practical thing either. Can’t see a fuckin’ thing out of that mask.” She was trying to lighten the mood. 

“Well, after Gage ran off with you Nisha made some…changes.” His brow was low and he’d crossed his arms. “Made us and the Operators move out of Nuka Town and into our new digs. Keeps us separate.” 

Maxx nodded. “Keep you from being able to conspire. Same reason for the non-conflicting market trips, I wager?” 

He nodded. “Didn’t keep us from slipping notes through the traders.” His expression darkened. “Seems they caught onto that too.” 

“Oh?” She studied the firm line of his jaw. “What was it? I mean what happened?” 

“What do you think? She sicced one of her butchers on the kid.” He couldn’t meet her gaze. 

“Kid?” there was a sinking feeling in her stomach.

“It was my fault- sendin’ a kid to do that kind of thing. Never should have let him go-” He rapped his fist angrily into the table. “His death’s on my hands.”

“What?” She didn’t know how to respond.

“Our messenger. I sent him as a runner and they caught on. They were _kind_ enough to send us his body once they’d finished with it.” His face was turning red as his blood ran hot. 

“Do you know who-”

­

“Her little lacky, Dixie.” He spat the name like venom. “Got blonde hair and a weird accent.” 

Maxx nodded slowly. She gave him some time before probing further. 

“Do you have any idea what’s going on with the Operators? Any word from the Blacks?” 

“Nothing substantial, but from what I’ve gathered the Disciples couldn’t be bought.” 

She sat back in her chair and stroked her chin. “Bet they _loved_ that.” 

The two of them sat in quiet contemplation until Mason had a thought. “Where’s Gage?” 

“If all is going according to plan, he’s managed to get to Mags and talk strategy.” 

“What _is_ the strategy?” His knee bobbed with restless energy. 

***

“You know they say the clothes make the man,” an amused smirk clung to the corners of the woman’s mouth. “In this case I might be inclined to disagree. 

Gage stood in the center of the crowd of Operators. Mags Black approached him as the dapper crowd parted smoothly. He wouldn’t put it past her to have practiced the move, but he put the thought out of his head. 

“Ha ha.” He crossed his arms and glared through his good eye. “Look, are we gonna hash this out or what? I didn’t come here to waste time.” 

Her expression sobered. With a flick of her wrist, the crowd dispersed. William took his place beside his sister silently. 

“So you’ve decided to come back. Here to avenge your beloved boss?” She’d expected the barb to sting more.

“Me and the boss are back to reclaim what’s ours.” It was his turn to grin at the look of shock on her face. 

“You must be joking. Last thing we all saw was her bleeding out in your arms.” She eyed him suspiciously. “What’s your game here, Gage?” 

“No games. I’m here on behalf of the Overboss. We need your help.” He hated the taste the words left in his mouth. 

She was torn. On the one hand, Gage had returned. If he was caught, he was dead. On the other, there wasn’t an Overboss standing in front of her. “How do I know you’re not lying?”

“C’mon Mags,” he was staring her down, “You know I don’t ask for help with nothin’. We ain’t got time to play this game.” 

“I wouldn’t trust this asshole as far as I could throw him.” William had decided to chime in. “He’s half the reason this all went down. Brought in an amateur and now we’re answering to that bloodthirsty psycho.” 

“Don’t you talk about her that way!” Gage was ready to tackle the pretentious shit. “She was just about dead and came back here to fix this shit. So don’t you _dare_ say a fuckin’ word about it William. The fuck have you done about it?” 

“Boys, boys, boys. Enough of this pissing contest.” She turned to William. “I’d have thought this kind of phallic contest was beneath you.” She took a step towards Gage with her arms crossed. “Say I do believe you. What does she want from the Operators?” 

“Backup.” 

“And what does she offer in return?” 

“Same as before- Operators runnin’ the bottling plant. Control over the Gulch. Anything else is for y’all to hash out.” He frowned. “I’m just the messenger.” 

“I suppose I’ll take some time to consider my options then.” Mags turned to leave. “Really do love the new look though.” 

“Mags you know this ain’t happenin’ without your help.” Gage was done playing games. “This ain’t the time for you to be tryin’ to fuck everybody over some caps. You want to sit pretty in your little western park and scheme in vain, be my guest.” He was sure she could feel the glare on her back. “But you and I both know it ain’t gonna take long for shit to get worse. If you’re just in it for the caps, fine. But you ain’t gonna be makin’ shit with that psycho callin’ the shots, and you know it.” 

Mags sighed in resignation. “You’ve peaked my interest, Porter. Why don’t we find a place to sit down and,” she cleared her throat, “discuss these plans.” 

William harrumphed, but said nothing.

“Bout goddamned time.” Gage yanked the cowl from his head and tossed it on the table in front of them. “So here’s what the boss wants us to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, ok I get it y'all want this beast F-I-N-I-S-H-E-D so I am working on that... In the meantime, hope you've enjoyed the latest chapter. Comments, kudos, cash, precious gems, and hugs all welcome.


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